1. Goat Management

2. Characteristics Goat population worldwide is over 350 million
U.S. population is between 2 & 3 million
Becoming more popular as people move to more rural areas
Relatively inexpensive to purchase and reproduces efficiency
Having 2- 3 offspring per year
Don’t demand specialized housing or feedstuff

3. Patterning
Get does into a routine. Feed at same time and place where you can pen the animals in a small enclosure.
Easily caught and handled from there.

4. Reproduction Seasonal Breeders
Length of daylight influences the secretion of hormones that affect the estrous cycle
Seasonal species are responsive to melatonin
Hormone produced by the pineal gland
Response to declining periods of light
Breed in the Fall
80% of all does come into heat between Sept 1 and Dec 31

5. Reproduction
3 systems for breeding
Pasture Breeding AI
Hand Mating

6. Pasture Breeding Does and Buck put into one field
Very little labor and results in a large percentage of does conceiving
Have no control over when does are bred

7. AI Growing in popularity
Frozen semen is thawed and placed into the reproductive tract of the doe
Done by using a plastic insemination pipette
Heat detection is very important
Cost is higher
Can breed to superior bucks

8. Insemination site
We want the tip of the catheter to be well inside the cervix, but not penetrate completely into the uterus.
Reason-bacterial contamination

9. Take catheter and insert

10. Place catheter in cervix

11. Hand Mating Buck is kept in a separate pen from the does
As does come into heat they are turned into pen with buck
Breeding is observed, then doe is removed from buck and return to pen
Gives you precise breeding dates
Separate buck pen and shed, and more time is involved

12. Parturition Gestation period is between 145- 155 days
Kids should have navels dipped in iodine to prevent infection
Make sure kids receive colostrum
Don’t touch kids right after birth
Kids are weaned at 3 months

13. Disbudding Removal of the horn buds from a kid Two methods Chemical
Disbudding iron

14. Castration
Done before 12 weeks
3 methods
Knife
Burdizzo
Elastrator

15. Knife

16. Burdizzo

17. Elastrator

18. Identification 4 different methods Tattooing Neck chains Branding
Ear notching

19. Hoof trimming
Removing the excess growth that occurs at the toes, heels, and sidewalls of the hooves
Should be done every 6-8 weeks

21. Hoof Trimming

22. Parasites
Internal Parasites one of most economically important constraints in raising livestock
Animals certain to exposure of worms
Confinement
Pasture-based
Results
Decrease in productivity
death

23. Controlling Parasites
Worms are a major parasite within goat industry
Should be dewormed on a regular basis
About every 6-8 weeks
Receive an injection of Clostridium Perfringes, Types C & D and Tetnus, once a year

24. Deworming 3 types of dewormers Avermectin Benzimidazoles
Imidazothiazole

25. Avermectin Clear dewormers Not effective against tapeworms
Ivomec, Dectomax, Cydectin
Not effective against tapeworms

26. Benzimidazoles White dewormers Effective against tapeworms
Safeguard
Effective against tapeworms
Can cause abortions

27. Imidazothiazole Tramisol May cause abortions
The “safe” and “toxic” levels are very close, making product dangerous

28. Fecal Float
Way to identify what type of worms goats have and what you need to vaccinate with
Use a Modified Wisconsin Procedure
Create a sucrose solution
Combine 454g granulated sugar with 335mL of water
Heat the solution until the sugar is completely dissolved and the solution is clear

29. Fecal Float Fecal samples are collected and weighed
3g of each sample is measured and suspended into 20 mL of the sucrose solution in a waxed paper cup
Solution is stirred until solution is completely dispersed and then poured into a second cup

31. Fecal Float
Liquid is poured into a 15 mL test tube until slightly raised above the top of the test tube then topped with a cover slip
Allow to sit for 3-6 hours then observe under a microscope

32. The FAMACHA© System 1 – not anemic 5 -- severely anemic
Eye color chart with five color categories
Compare chart with color of mucous membranes of sheep or goat
Classification into one of five color categories:
1 – not anemic
5 -- severely anemic

33. Examine in sunlight
Open as shown - for a short time only
Look at color inside lower eyelid

34. Barber pole worm egg

35. Haemonchus adults in the abomasum

37. Other Diseases Blackleg Bloat Bottle Jaw Coccidiosis Colic
Enterotoxaemia
Foot and Mouth Disease
Foot Rot

38. Other Diseases Johne’s Disease Pregnancy toxemia Mastitis Tetanus
Thickening of intestine
Have to be slaughtered (no cure)
Pregnancy toxemia
Mastitis
Tetanus
Urinary Calculi