Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
sheep they come in contact with. A blood test can tell you whether your stock is CAEV positive.
If they are, you should make sure any kids or lambs born don't become infected as well. There is a
growing movement to attempt to eliminate this virus from breeding stock completely, in much the
same way that Coggins is being eliminated from horses.
Researchers believe that CAEV is transmitted through bodily fluids, blood, milk, and during
breeding. If this is so, you should keep infected stock separate from uninfected stock. You would
also quarantine any incoming animals and have them tested before introducing them into the herd.
It is also okay to ask for test results of an outside buck or doe you are considering for breeding. In
1975, it was estimated that 80 percent of the goats in the United States were positive for CAEV, so
you can see how attempting to eliminate it will take dedicated efforts on the part of breeders and
owners. In 1999, several regions tested as low as 38 percent in the United States, so awareness is
increasing. Similar efforts in Switzerland dropped the rate from 60 to 80 percent down to 1 percent.
Indigestion.
Indigestion might not seem like a serious problem, but ruminants rely on a balance
of healthy bacteria for their digestive problems. This can happen after antibiotics, or if the goat
overeats harder to digest foods like grains. In many cases it's not contagious, but it's serious and
can be fatal. Milk of magnesia can help detox and encourage movement in the rumen to get things
moving again. Yogurt and probiotics will help restore healthy flora in the digestive tract. Waiting
too long to treat this condition can kill, so be watchful and take action before it gets too serious.
A good breeder to purchase your initial stock, wise management in diet and care, and a great
veterinarian are the three best ways to maintain a happy and healthy herd in your backyard farm.
Breeding Goats and Sheep
I love my baby goats. We joke that they are called “kids” for a reason—because they act like a
bunch of little toddlers. They are curious, they love to explore, taste things, and play fight around
the yard like a pack of preschoolers turned loose.
thOrny MatterS
Before you breed your goats or sheep, you need to realize the level of care that babies involve—every day,
even several times a day, if you end up with bottle-fed babies. If you cannot commit to that care, do not
breed your animals.
The first step to healthy breeding is to start with animals that are in good shape. You'll never want
to breed an animal that is underweight, overweight, or struggling with illness. We adopted a Boer
goat who wasn't being cared for properly. She had been living with a domestic herd of deer, never
handled, and poorly fed. She was wild, and quite a bit overweight as well because she had been
fed kitchen scraps like white bread and other poor foods that should never be in your livestock's
diet. So we kept her for almost a full year before breeding her to make sure she was back in good
shape, that her temperament could be calmed down, and that she had her dietary needs met.
