Courtesy of Danielle Langloism, Wikipedia CCLThe Parasite Predicament
Like any other livestock, there are diseases that are common and often life threatening to goats. However, the most insidious forerunner of health issues is parasites.
Worms are ubiquitous to goat tending. The eggs are laid on the lower stalks of plants which the goats then eat, injesting the eggs which hatch into worms and infect the goats.
Goats always carry some worm load. If the load is minimal, it’s not a concern but when the worm load is high, the goats become ill, lose weight, can become anemic and even die.
Regular testing is necessary to keep a handle on worms. In an operation that regularly uses medications, deworming is done on a schedule and the wormers often rotated to avoid building a resistance to the treatment.
For organic farming, prevention is paramount. Rotating pastures or paddocks to allow the forage to maintain growth is the optimum way to avoid excess worm infestation. Pasture below 4″ in height increases the risk of worms dramatically.
The key is to keep an eye on the herd’s body condition and general health, treat when needed and prevent infestation whenever possible.
