The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: candpdoyle on February 05, 2010, 09:51:09 am
-
Hi There
i wonder if anyone with more experience than us can shed some light on theses sores that have appeared on our nanny kids?? They are british toggenburgs. about 12 months old. and not sure if it is relevant, but they share housing with our sheep and calf.. the smaller kid has only one patch on her lip, but the other has it on her legs??
am attempting to add some pics ::)
will get the vet out unless anyone has a good idea of what it is?/
Many thanks
-
::) that didnt work so well ???
try these
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc146/candpdoyle/goats/February2010goatsores012.jpg)
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc146/candpdoyle/goats/February2010goatsores015.jpg)
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc146/candpdoyle/goats/February2010goatsores017.jpg)
-
thats better :) here are a few more ;)
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc146/candpdoyle/goats/February2010goatsores007.jpg)
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc146/candpdoyle/goats/February2010goatsores010.jpg)
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc146/candpdoyle/goats/February2010goatsores018.jpg)
-
Now I'm by no means an expert, being a fairly junior Goat Keeper myself, but it looks to me like a case of Orf.
I tell you what, I'll just show the pics to my Girlfriend's mother who is a vet of decades experience . . .
Give me two minutes.
-
Yup, definately Orf. In all likelihood they probably caught it off your sheep who have developed a natural immunity.
I'm afraid it's like cold sores. There's pretty much nothing you can do about it, except make the goats a bit more comfortable (Fiona recommends using Alamycin spray on the affect areas, or any other antibiotic foot-rot spray) as this will clean it out and make them heal up that much faster.
Beyond that, all you can do is wait for it to run it's course and hope the immunity gets passed on down your line. It's not a serious condition (unless your kids are nursing, in which case they can pass it on to the udder with the result that the mother won't feed her kids because it's too uncomfortable, so if you're not bottle/pan feeding you'll want to start to do so), just a bit uncomfortable and unsightly.
However if you're still worried get your vet out to have a look up close and personal.
Below is a good article on the condition.
http://www.jackmauldin.com/health/soremouth.htm (http://www.jackmauldin.com/health/soremouth.htm)
-
Thank you very much :) will get some alamycin spray this afternoon
Cheers
Chris
-
just read the article about orf.
really interesting, blimy there is a lot that can go wrong with goats.
really appreciate the experence and knowledge of goat keeping that is
on this site. :goat:
-
Agree mouth looks like orf....but the legs look like mange mite irritation and it looks like they have been biting at it...I would put some spot on on all animals just in case or use an ivermectin injection if due for worming etc
-
PLease use gloves - Orf can very easily be transmitted to humans - I haven't had it, but from what I have read its VERY painful!
-
Orf can only be passed to humans if you have a scratch or a cut- so yes wear gloves, or at least a waterproof plaster is you have any nicks or cuts. I have had Orf, and it wasn't very pleasant! Once your goats have had it, they should develope a certain resistance to it, but if they have kids, the kids will get it as it is left on walls, hurdles, bits of wood in the shed etc.
Beth
-
Hi Beth - do you have to vaccinate the kids soon after birth, or can you let them have it and they come out ok? Do goats develop immunity for life like sheep?
-
You can vaccinate them, but they become immune the same as sheep. So personally we never bothered, it wqasn't worth the cost of the vaccine.
Beth