Author Topic: children and goats (Read 4039 times)

AlexInLincs · « **on:** June 19, 2010, 02:09:31 pm »

Hi,

We are fairly new to goat keeping and I was just wondering what precautions all of you with children take to prevent spread of disease, given the report that came out this week about the petting farm where people had caught E.coli. The report said that young children (under 5's) shouldn't go into the goat pens or feed the goats (or ruminants) and they should be cleaned out everyday. Up until now our older children (9, 7, 6 and nearly 4) have been going in with the goats (who are kept on deep litter) and washing their hands after touching the goats and being outside. The goats come out into out into our paddock for exercise and mix with our dogs and 3 kunekune pigs as well as our children. I clean the paddock of muck everyday. So, what do you all do?

Thanks in advance,

Lara and Alex

jameslindsay · « **Reply #1 on:** June 19, 2010, 02:26:57 pm »

I think the best precaution you can do for your children is just what you have been doing and making them wash their hands after touching them. As usual things get blown out of all proportion when something goes wrong. My great niece who is now 13 months old has been touching the goats and getting a ride on their backs since she was a week old and it has never done her any harm. A bottle of that spray you get at the hospital is as good a precaution as any, just have it by your gate.

I for one keep all my animals in a clean enviroment but the goats beds are not cleaned out daily.

Anke · « **Reply #2 on:** June 19, 2010, 10:16:33 pm »

I think if your children are used to the environment in which the animals are kept the chances of them catching anything like e.coli are minimal. It is more likely that any town visitors, who may have a very clean home environment are at risk.

My girls (6 and

have bottle fed the goat kids and some lambs from the start (although their interest has somewhat waned over the the weeks...), they collect eggs and help mucking out the chicken houses (with a LOT of persuasion I have to add). I make sure they wash their hands before eating (actually as soon as they come into the house), but that's all. Am quite vigilant with any visiting children though, and have had no problems.

I poo-pick the goat pens once daily, add straw if necessary, otherwise deep bedding with mucking out when top layer reaches bottom door level or before taking goats to show.

When I was a kid, the older people always used to say that the "kids that play on the muckheap are the least likely to be ill...".

ballingall · « **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2010, 11:32:52 pm »

One thing to remember is that ALL livestock has e coli. If they didn't have E coli in their digestive system, they would most likely be dead. I do agree with the saying about the kids on the muckheap. If your children are exposed to the germs, then they will have a good resistance to it. It's when they suddenly met a new germ that they have no resistance to that problems can occur. I am (very) nearly 30, I grew up with goats, the occasional calf, the occasional pig, and nearly always orphan lambs. I have been exposed to most things, have even had Orf myself, and am none the worst for any of it. In fact, I would say that now, I have an excellent immune system, I hardly ever caught a sickness bug, only the occasional cold.

As long they wash their hands before they eat, and make sure any of their visiting friends wash theirs, I wouldn't worry. My neices (aged 12, 10, 7 & 7) all go into the goat pens, the goat field, they play with the kids and they have all been doing that for years. The eldest two have even been present to witness goats kidding. None of them have had ill effects. My mother swears the only virus that had passed between our goats and children, is when my sister gave the goats tuberculous..... Never the other way round.

Beth

Roxy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 20, 2010, 12:17:33 am »

I am like Beth - been around goats, and all livestock since I was a baby. I think I am probably immune to most things now. I do wash my hands when I come indoors, but have to admit, they get wiped down my trousers a few times during the day when outside!!

The e coli outbreak was a serious matter, and I agree precautions need to be taken to ensure this does not happen again. But on the other hand, it would be a terrible shame to deprive children of the chance to have a hands on experience with goats and other livestock.

Maybe children today live in too clean an environment, that we older people did. If you think about how many cleaning sprays etc. are in peoples houses, the kids live in a clean world probably. Nothing wrong with that of course, but maybe when exposed to animals, thats when problems occur.

AlexInLincs · « **Reply #5 on:** June 20, 2010, 07:31:57 am »

Thanks for all your replies. I agree with all of you that it's important to expose children to germs for a healthy immune system. At the end of the day if everyone were to avoid catching anything no one would leave their houses or eat anything!! So I'll carry on doing just what we've been doing.......no one in the family has caught anything yet.......

Also, I find it interesting that all 5 of my children, despite having bad allergies on both mine and Alex's sides of the family don't have any allergies and they are the ones who have always been allowed to play outside in the dirt and pick their dropped biscuit up in the house and eat it!!

thanks again,

Lara

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #6 on:** June 20, 2010, 08:56:24 am »

Hi Lara

my 4 girls are 8,7,5 and 3. They know how to use the alcohol hand wash sited on the side of the goat shed but likewise are usually covered in mud and grime and I wouldtn' have them any other way. I think my profile pic sums it up - a goat kissing eloise!!
reason we have goats is partly due to a couple of mine having cows milk intollerance - ironically its the breastfed ones that can't drink cows milk, the daughter i had to bottle feed is fine with cows (probably becauset that's what formula is!)
we've never (touch wood!!) had any animal related illness despite having had 30 sheep here, 3 goats, 11 chickens, 9 cats,a parrot and 10 rabbits.
defra have to encourage farms to cover their backs and in a way are damned if they do, damned if they don't I guess. just take sensible precautions xx

Wizard · « **Reply #7 on:** June 20, 2010, 10:15:41 am »

Well Lisa I think the whole thing has got out of hand Did your Mum wash your hands when you touched any thing ?Was there hand wash on the sink on the kitchen work top in the bathroom?.There are some making an awful lot of money out of this current scare.We played with our animals Pulled the muck hill apart with our bare hands looking for worms then wiping our hands on our trousers."Wash your hands and come and get your Tea" was Mothers call.On the window cill behind the Belfast was a soap dish with a face flannel and a bar of Lifebouy Carbolic Soap to wash your hands and face You pumped up a bowl of water with the pump at the end of the sink and washed your hands and face and dried them on a roller towel on the back of the outside door.Before you sat at table I never heard of mystery illness got from being mucky.Although my cousin Rosemary did once have a Ringworm Nasty things were Ringworms I haven't heard of them for years

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #8 on:** June 20, 2010, 10:20:51 am »

I grew up inner city London and was probably exposed to more grime and germs than my farm loving girls will ever be George!
because I make soap, my girls tend to prefer mummies soap to the pump jobs (which I know isn't ideal but hey ho!!) I have made one with teatree oil so that will get most germs busted.
ringworm does sound pretty nasty though!! haven't heard of a farm park causing such an e-coli problem before that one last year or since, we all have one off's - even top chef's (that one that owns the fat duck or whatever its called on the thames for example)
when I was pregnant with my eldest I was nursing and a respiratory consultant told me to promise him I wouldnt' go mad on nesting - he said if I did I'd end up with an asthmatic baby and that a bit of dust would be the best thing for her!!

Wizard · « **Reply #9 on:** June 20, 2010, 10:34:37 am »

I did not tell you Ringworm is not a worm it is a fungal infection of the skin and it is also contagious It grows round and ever widening if left untreated and is extremely unsightly especially if one attacks your face.Mind you when its in view Treatment is applied quickly and they come to nothing.I knew a lad at school that had one on his back 5/6" across before his Mam took him to see the Doctor

misspiggy · « **Reply #10 on:** June 29, 2010, 09:47:26 pm »

Hi There,

I am a farmers daughter and been round farm animals for ever. I have 2 children the youngest who is autistic and is passionate about animals!!! we got goats just for him, something for him to look after and to get close too. For an autistic child (well mine anyway) germs is a big thing, and with them he just doesn't care!!!

a quick wash of hands is always recommended, but dont worry, there are plenty good germs out there, just enjoy your goats!!!