Any diseases condition of goat pose a direct bearing on its health, growth and reproduction.Diseases in goat may be due various factors such as bacterial,protozoal,viral and nutritional deficiency, physical injuries, unhygienic housing and sanitation.
Some Common Diseases in Goat:
1. Tetanus – goats are highly vulnerable to tetanus caused by clostridium species. The organism enters the body through cut injures/wounds and the symptoms are lack of appetite, difficult to walk, difficult in opening the mouth and swallowing food.
2. Foot and Mouth Diseases - it is a highly infectious viral disease. The disease is zoonatic in nature as human beings are also susceptible through contact with infected diseased animals or contaminated milk and itsby products. Symptoms are high body temperature, blisters appears in the tongue, gum, cleft of the foot, salivation, lameness etc.
3. Bloat /Tympany – It is caused by consuming rotten vegetable, jack fruit, tapioca leaves, sudden change in the eating habits, consuming too much grain. It also result in the formation of gas in the stomach
4. Haemorrahagic septicaemia (H.S) – It is a bacterial disease. Infection occurs through ingestion of contaminated food and water. Symptoms include dullness and depression, loss of appetite, dysentery.
5. Black quarter – it is an acute infections bacterial disease. The disease is characterised by inflammation of muscles, swelling of the affected part and lameness.
6. Plague – it is an acute highly contagious disease caused by Moribilli Virus. Symptoms include cough, eyes and nasal discharge, difficult to breath, dysentery,nodules appear on the muzzle, tongue and gum.
Some Measures to Prevent the Common Diseases of Goat :
1. Fed balance concentrate diet along with vitamin and mineral supplement
2. Provide clean fodder daily with dry hay in the diet now and then
3. Isolate the sick/diseased animal away from the healthy herd
4. Deworm the goat once every month
5. Tetanus toxoid injection to be given immediately whenever there is a cut /injury in the animal
6. Vaccinate your goat yearly with
a) FMD vaccine
b) Enteroxemia vaccine
c) H.S & B.Q vaccine
d) PPR vaccine
The farmer should immediately consult a Veterinarian or visit the nearest VHC in case any goats showing any of the above mention diseases,signs and symptoms for early detection and proper treatment.
Veterinary Hospital Kohima
