1. This presentation was given at the 2007 Spring Forum of the Maryland Association of Agricultural Fairs and Shows, Inc. It discusses the issues and diseases of primary importance at fairs and other expositions.

2. Assessing Sheep and Goat Health
Maryland Association of Agricultural Fairs and Shows Spring Forum - March 18, 2007
Assessing Sheep and Goat Health
SUSAN SCHOENIAN Sheep and Goat Specialist Western Maryland Research & Education Center Maryland Cooperative Extension (301) x343 –

3. Fairs are stressful to livestock
Handling and transportation stress.
New surroundings.
New pen mates (?)
Contact with other animals.
Close quarters.
Strange people.
Different water, food (?)
Heat stress.
Out of their normal routine.

4. Basic assessment of sheep/goat health
Normal
Hungry
Alert
Good body condition
Bright eyes with good eyelid color
Dry nose or slight clear (or white) discharge from nose.
Head and ears up
Tail up (goat)
Healthy hair coat
Clean hocks and hindquarters
Formed stools
Freedom from scabs, sores, abscesses, etc.
Normal gait
Abnormal
Off-feed
Lethargic
Poor body condition
Runny, red, or swollen eyes. Pale eyelids.
Colored discharge from nose
Head and/or ears handing down
Droopy tail (goats)
Rough hair coat
Scabs, abscesses, sores.
Soiled hindquarters
Runny or liquid feces; blood or mucous in feces
Abnormal gait

5. What is normal? Parameter Sheep Goats Rectal Temperature Ruminations
avg. 102°F ( °F) °F
Ruminations
2 per minute
1-2 per minute
Respiration
12 to 20 breaths per minute
15 to 30 breaths per minute
Pulse
70 to 80 beats per minute
70 to 90 beats per minute
Hematocrit (packed cell volume)
27 to 45% avg. 35%
22 to 28% avg. 28%

6. Assessing body condition an estimate of fat and muscle
It is a subjective score. The exact score is not as important as the relative scores and differences between scores.
Both the vertical bone protrusion (spinous process) and horizontal protrusion (transverse process) of the loin are felt and used to access body condition scoring.

7. Diseases of primary concern
Contagious
Skin diseases
Soremouth
External parasites
Ringworm
Foot rot
Abscesses
Pinkeye
Pneumonia
Non-contagious
Stomach worms
Coccidia
Acidosis/feedlot bloat
Diarrhea
Foot scald
Rectal prolapse
Heat stroke/exhaustion

8. Skin diseases: soremouth contagious ecthyma, contagious pustular dermatitis, scabby mouth, orf
Most common skin problem in sheep/goats
Caused by a virus in the pox family.
Highly contagious to other sheep/goats, as well as to people.
Lesions most commonly seen on mouth and lips. blisters → ulcers → scabs
Clears up in 1-4 weeks.

9. Skin diseases: external parasites
Mites
Lice
Ticks (keds)
Nose bots
Blow flies
Symptoms
Rub, bite, scratch
Intense irritation
Excessive grooming
Dull coat, hair/wool loss, bald patches, dry skin
Snotty nose
Redness of skin
Nodules

10. Skin diseases: ringworm Club lamb fungus
Caused by a fungus.
Very contagious.
Can be transmitted to humans.
Transmitted by animal, equipment, or surroundings.
Slick shearing makes lambs more susceptible.
Causes skin lesions.
Definitive diagnosis is made by culturing the fungus.
Heals on its own in 8 to 16 weeks.

12. Foot rot and foot scald
Foot rot is caused by the interaction of two anaerobic bacteria and is highly contagious.
Foot scald involves only one bacteria and is not contagious.
Primary symptom is lameness in one or more feet.
They appear the same until you examine the feet.
Foot rot infection is in hoof vs. foot scald which is between toes.
Foot rot has a characteristic foul odor.

13. Abscesses Disease of concern: Caseous lymphadenitis (CL)
Disease has internal and external form.
Abscesses at lymph-gland sites.
Caused by a bacteria.
Very contagious.
No human cases have been reported in U.S.

14. Pinkeye Infectious keratoconjunctivitis
An inflammation of the inside of the eyelid.
Usually bacterial in cause (chlamydia, mycoplasma).
Different from pinkeye in cattle.
Usually infectious and contagious to other sheep and goats.
Symptoms: watery, red, swollen yes; formation of new blood vessels’ cloudiness in white part of eyes; tearing; and crusting (yellow or green pus).
Mild cases heal in 10 to 14 days; severe cases may take 6 weeks to heal.

15. Respiratory symptoms Infectious Non-infectious Pneumonia Allergy Dust
Symptoms to look for
Elevated body temperature
Yellowish discharge
Heavy, labored breathing
Chest congestion
Non-infectious
Allergy
Dust
Poor ventilation
Nasal bots
Lung worms
A clear, bilateral, watery nasal discharge is relatively common, especially in sheep, usually due to poor ventilation and/or temperature fluctuations.

16. Internal parasites (GI worms) are the primary health problem affecting sheep and goats. The barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is the worm of primary concern.
The barber pole worm is a blood-sucking parasite that causes blood and protein loss (anemia) and edema (“bottle jaw”).
Worms have developed resistance to most of the anthelmintics (dewormers).

17. The FAMACHA© System for assessing anemia and barber pole worm infection in small ruminants
Clinical Category
Color
PCV
Deworm? 1
Red
> 28 No 2
Red-Pink
23-27 3
Pink
18-22 ? 4
Pink-White
13-17
Yes 5
White
< 12
sheep
goats
Selective deworming prolongs effectiveness of anthelmintics by reducing selection for drug resistant worms.

18. Diarrhea – Scours Increased frequency, fluidity, or volume of fecal excretion.
Non-infectious
Parasites
Nutritional
Management
Stress
Infectious
Bacterial
E. coli
Salmonella
Viral
Protozoa
Coccidia
Cyrptosporidia
Giardia
Normal stool is hard round balls”, but feeding can alter consistency.

19. Rectal prolapse (lambs)
Multi-factorial problem
Sex (female)
High level of grain feeding
Straining
Genetics
Short tail docks
Can repair prolapse, but animal is usually salvaged.

20. Heat stroke/exhaustion High temperatures + high humidity
Prevention
Transport and work during cool part of day.
Clean, fresh drinking water.
Fans.
Treatment
Cooling therapy
Shade, ventilation
Spray with water (cold water may be too much of a shock).
Wet head, legs, and stomach
Rubbing alcohol to the area between the hind legs.
Do not soak a wooled sheep with cold water to attempt to cool them.
Fluids, drugs
Symptoms
Rapid breathing.
Panting.
Collapse.
Inability to stand
Elevated rectal temperature, over 104°F; critical over 105°F.

21. Questions?
Comments
Thank you.