Ruminant Herd Health Management

Disease

any impairment in the body structure and function of the animal

• Decreased productive efficiency

• Mortalities

• Economic losses

Impact of disease

• Animal

• Environment

• Disease agent

State of Health

Young animals

age of animals that are more susceptible to diseases

Females

are prone to reproductive problems & mastitis

Purebreds

Breed that are prone to calcium deficiency

True

Newborn kids that have not suckled colostrum are prone to diseases

• Bacteria

• Virus

• Fungus

• Parasite

• Mechanical

• Chemical

• Nutritional

Agent factors

• Climatic stress 

• Building design

• Pasture

• Mixed spp

• Overcrowding

Environmental factors:

1. History taking

2. Examination of the environment

3. Examination of the patient

3 Steps in the Diagnosis of disease

39.1 oC (+0.5)

Rectal temperature of goat

39.1 oC (+0.5)

Rectal temperature of sheep

70 – 80 beats/min

Heart rate of goat

Heart rate of goat

Heart rate of sheep

15 – 30 breaths/min

Respiratory rate of goat

12 – 20 breaths/min

Respiratory rate of sheep

22 – 38 %

Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of goat

27 – 45 %

Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of sheep

38.3-38.6 (+0.5)

Rectal temperature of cattle

38-39.5

Rectal temperature of buffalo

60-70 beats/min

Heart rate of cattle

60-90 beats/min

Heart rate of buffalo

30 breaths/min

Respiratory rate of cattle

15-35 breaths/min

Respiratory rate of buffalo

24-46%

Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of cattle

26-34%

Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of buffalo

• Depression

• Diarrhea

• Lameness

• Cough

• Wounds

• Inappetence and

anorexia

• Abnormal

enlargement of

abdomen

• Rough coat

• Ocular and nasal

discharges

• Fever

• Teeth grinding

Signs of illness

• Kid hypoglycemia

• Scabby mouth

• Respiratory infection

• Mastitis

• Parasitism

• Lumps

• Lameness

Common Goat Health Problems

Kid hypoglycemia and hypothermia

• Usually occurs in twin pregnancies

• Due to failure in suckling colostrum/milk

• Inadequate housing

Treatment of Kid hypoglycemia and hypothermia

• Provide warmth to the weak kid

• Feed the kid with adequate volume of colostrum/milk (10% of body weight, daily, divided into 4 feedings)

• Bottle- or tube-feed the kid if necessary

Prevention of Kid hypoglycemia and hypothermia

• Isolate doe about to give birth (kidding pen)

• Confine the animals after giving birth

• Feed the doe with enough amount of fresh forages and concentrate feed supplement

• Make drinking water available at all times

Scabby mouth/Orf

Cause: Parapoxvirus

• Transmission: Direct and indirect contact

• Signs: Scabs in lips, nostrils, feet, udder, anus, external genitalia

Treatment of Scabby mouth/Orf

• Supportive (e.g. feeding soft grasses)

• Antibiotic for 2o bacterial infection

• Antiseptics/fly repellant

• Vitamins

Prevention of Scabby mouth/Orf

• Isolation of infected animal

• Disinfection of infected premises

Respiratory infection

Cause: mycoplasma, bacteria, virus

• Transmission: direct and indirect contact

• Signs: inappetence, coughing, fever, sneezing, depression, dyspnea, nasal discharge

Treatment of Respiratory infection

• Antibiotic administration

• Injection of mucolytic

• Vitamin and electrolytes

• Administration of anti-inflammatory

Mastitis

Cause: Bacteria, virus, mycoplasma

• Transmission: contact in unhygienic environment

• Clinical Signs: reddish, hot, painful swollen udder; milk is pale, dark yellow, greenish or reddish

Treatment of Mastitis

• Antibiotics administration

• Wash the udder with lukewarm water or with antiseptic

• Regular milking

• Infected milk should be stripped off from the udder

Caseous lymphadenitis

Cause: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

• Transmission: direct/indirect contact

• Clinical Signs: enlarged, localized, and abscessed lymph nodes

Treatment of Caseous lymphadenitis

• Opening and draining the abscess

• Washing w/ iodine or H2O2

• Spray fly repellant

• Give antibiotic