![]() Rumination: After eating, does the sheep or goat ruminate (regurgitate, then chew its cud)? The healthy act of ruminating will occur when they are lying down or standing. Does the animal come to the feeder (hay or grain) and does it eat its fill? Does the animal at pasture graze or browse with eagerness? Stretching: Does the animal stretch when it stands up from a laying down position? Stretching (by newborns, young stock, and adults) can be a sign of normal health.Īppetite: Healthy animals are usually hungry. Keep infected animals away from areas (pens, pastures, and alleyways) where healthy animals will walk. ![]() Treat the feet of these animals with zinc sulfate immediately, and repeat weekly for a month. Is there a putrid or rotten smell to any foot? Isolate animals with footrot from the remainder of the flock or herd. Trim and treat feet immediately when problems are found. As you inspect the hooves, look for excessive growth and cracking, or for redness/swelling or rotting of the skin between the toes. Some checking can be performed while the animal is standing, while a more detailed inspection requires “tipping” the animal or lifting the foot. Does the animal resist your attempts to handle that foot? Upon inspection of the animal’s feet, is one hoof warmer in temperature than the others? Is there a visible injury? Check for twine or poly wire as these materials can easily get wrapped around a foot or dewclaw and cause severe damage and pain. Watch for animals that kneel when grazing. Does the animal resist your attempts to handle that foot? Act quickly to diagnose and remedy the situation.įeet: Check hooves of all animals on a regular basis. This list may be helpful when discussing sick animals with your veterinarian over the phone.Īnimal Movement: Is the animal moving with ease? Does the animal struggle, limp or stay back from the group? Does the animal walk straight or does it tend to veer to one side? Is the animal on its knees when feeding or grazing? Upon inspection of the animal’s feet, is one hoof warmer in temperature than the others or is there an injury? Check for twine or poly wire as these materials can easily get wrapped around a foot or dewclaw and cause severe damage and pain. Several tips to help you interpret normal and abnormal health conditions of sheep and goats are listed below for your possible use. Organize this information to help remember past circumstances and treatments. Take notes or photos of normal and abnormal animal conditions as these could help you improve your skills and abilities. Some individuals have the innate ability to interpret the signs and symptoms of animals while other people have to work at mastering the interpretation of different situations. Building skills and knowledge to quickly identify signs of poor health of your livestock can help in their early treatment and recovery. You will likely use 4 of your 5 senses (sight, smell, touch, and hearing) in detecting disease or injury of your livestock. As for goats, they get fat around the internal organs before depositing the external fat on their ribs, back and loin.Richard Brzozowski Ph.D., Anne Lichtenwalner DVM Ph.D., and Jim Weber DVM Ph.D., Cooperative Extension and School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maineįor information about UMaine Extension programs and resources, visit .įind more of our publications and books at /publications/.Īs a sheep or goat producer, you know that the health of your animals is essential for optimum performance and profitability.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |