Goat Managementرعايــــة الماعز

ا.د./ ربيع حسن فايداستاذ رعاية الحيوان والدواجن

General Information

The goat, along with sheep, were among the earliest domesticated animals

domestication of the goats to be dated at between 6000 and 7000 B.C.

However, unlike sheep, their ancestry is fairly clear.

Unlike sheep, goats easily revert to feral or wild condition given a chance

Breeds of Goat ( الماعز ( سللت أنواع

Nubianالنوبى

Nubian (Zariaby in Aretria(

This is the most popular breed. This breed is large, has long, wide, pendulous ears, and a roman nose. Goats of this breed usually are brown, but can be almost any color.

The Nubian breed originated in the United Kingdom from British and Near-East descendants. Nubians have a high butterfat content in their milk.

Nubian milk is therefore good for cheese making

Anglo-nubian النجلونوبى

Anglo-Nubian Other Names: Nubian (USA) Anglo-Nubians were developed in England by crossing

British goats with bucks of African and Indian origin The Anglo Nubian is an all-purpose goat, useful for

meat, milk and hide production Anglo-Nubian goat is named for Nubia, in

northeastern Africa. The Anglo-Nubian is regarded as an "aristocratic"

appearing goat and has very long, pendulous ears that hang close to the head. The Anglo-Nubian carries a decidedly Roman nose and is always short-haired

الزرايبى أو النوبى البنى

Alpineاللبينو

Alpine The French-Alpine is a breed of goat that

originated in the Alps it may range from pure white through

shades of fawn, gray, brown, black, red, bluff, piebald, or various shadings

Both sexes are generally short haired, but bucks usually have a roach of long hair along the spine. The beard of males is also quite pronounced.

The ears in the Alpine should be of medium size, fine textured, and preferably erect

Alpineاللبينو

Damascusالدمشقى

Damascus The Damascus is a breed raised in the

region of Syria and Lebanon, primarily for milk production. They are of the Nubian type and are usually red or brown but can also be seen in grey. The animals can be either horned or polled and are long haired

Weight of Does = 50-60 Weight of Bucks = 60-90

Angoraالجنجورا

Angora The Angora goat originated in the district of Angora in

Asia Minor On the other hand, Angoras were taken to South

Africa in 1838, and from this importation and later importations mohair production was established in that country.

The most valuable characteristic of the Angora as compared to other goats is the value of the mohair that is clipped. The average goat in the U.S. shears approximately 5.3 pounds of mohair per shearing and are usually sheared twice a year.

The Angora is very picturesque animal in which both sexes are horned

Somaliالصومالى (البلدى)

Somali breed is used primarily for meat

production. They are primarily found in white but

occational individuals will have colored spots or patches.

The Somali has short hair and ears. The males are horned and the

females are either horned or polled

Tips for Buying a Dairy Goat

Before buying a dairy goat: Visit herds to see all the dairy goat breeds, then decide

which one is for you. Consider what type of buying a kid, dry yearling, or milker. Taste the milk produced at the herd you are considering

buying your goat from. Prepare a safe, sheltered, ventilated pen, plus an exercise

yard and/or safe pasture. Dog-proof fencing should be used to enclose the pasture

and poisonous plants (milkweed, sheep laurel, black cherry, and nightshade) should be destroyed.

Ask for recent CAE testing results and a Caseous Lymphadenitis vet check before purchasing your animal.

Diseases

CAE: (Caprine Arthritis Encephilitus) A disease caused by a virus and

transmitted to kids through the mother's milk that causes inflamed joints, lameness, and death. Goats can be carriers of CAE and not show signs of the disease. It can be detected only with a blood test and when buying goats it is wise to ask if they have been tested for CAE.

CAE: (Caprine Arthritis Encephilitus)

In active cases you will note from slight to severe swelling in the knees and other joints. Goats may show nervous signs such as twisting the head from side to side or being unable to stand. No treatment or vaccine is currently available for CAE Treatment is thus usually aimed at the control of symptoms

ABCESSES: Caseous Lymphadenitis

CL is a bacterium that affects both sheep and goats. Leave an abscess alone until lit is ready to lance. CL abscesses spread easily and you must take care not to contaminate pens, pastures or grounds. This disease is extremely contagious to goats. A goat that gets frequent, reoccurring abscesses should be culled from your herd.

Caseous Lymphadenitis

The animals can have internal abscesses as well and the milk is not safe for human consumption. A vet check is needed to be sure an animal does not have CL. There is no vaccine approved for goats at this time

Pregnancy Toxemia

Pregnancy Toxemia (ketosis) is a potentially fatal condition that can affect pregnant does in their last five weeks of pregnancy, or shortly after freshening. Ketosis, if detected early, can be treated successfully, but mortality is high if not detected early

Pregnancy toxemia (ketosis) is not a virus or bacteria, but rather is a nutritional deficiency

Pregnancy Toxemia

Symptoms include dullness or depression, and not eating well. Symptoms will progress to general weakness, not walking, or walking oddly.

These symptoms can rapidly progress, and cause the doe to sit down, and be unable to rise

Pregnancy Toxemia Ketosis can be treated successfully if

detected early. Urine tests, such as Keto-check, are generally accurate

Treatment usually consists of giving the doe propylene glycol, which is non-toxic

Prevention is the best way to avoid the condition This includes top dressing the feed of does in late pregnancy with sugar or molasses. Molasses can also be added to the goats' water.

Selenium-Deficient Areas

Some areas of the country are "selenium-deficient." Selenium is a mineral found in the earth. Goats, especially pregnant does and kids, in selenium-deficient areas of the country may require an injection by their veterinarian to prevent the occurrence of white muscle disease

Goat MilkGoat Cow

Protein % 3.0 3.0

Fat % 3.8 3.6

Calories/100ml 70 69

Vitamin A (unit( 39 21

Vitamin B 68 45

Calcium 0.19 0.18

Cholesterol (mg/100ml(

12 15

Goat Meat

Goat meat is 50-60% lower in fat than similarly prepared beef, but has a similar protein content. USDA has also reported that saturated fat in cooked goat meat is 40% less than that of chicken, even with the skin removed. Goat Meat lower in cholesterol

Meat of goat

Goat Beef

Protein (g( 23 23

Fat (g( 2.58 16

Calorie 122 245

Iron (g( 3.3 2.9

Cholesterol ++ +++

Care of Goats• Goat-keeping is a 365-day a year job • You should keep at least two goats. A single goat

will tend to be lonely and call for companionship. • Goats should be kept in a suitable home that

offers the goats protection from drafts (strong wind currents

• It is very important to ensure that dogs and other wild animals cannot get into the goat pen

Care of Goats During warm months, flies may bother

goats. Most fly traps are ecologically acceptable

The goats' grain should be kept in rodent-proof containers, such as in sealed garbage bins or in clean metal drums

Goats can receive their water from clean buckets, preferably raised off of the ground a few inches. The bucket must be kept clean, as goats will not drink dirty water, or from a dirty bucket

Care of Goats Goats should have baking soda and powdered

minerals available on a free-choice basis. It can be hard to find hay that goats will love eating!

Generally, alfalfa, clover, or other mixes are suitable. A new goat owner should locate a Veterinarian who

will treat goats Goats also need to be treated regularly for Internal

Parasites (worms). Also, goats generally need their hoofs trimmed once a

month. This is a relatively simple and quick procedure

Breeding Goats will generally have a heat cycle

that lasts one or two days every 18 to 21 days

The heat cycle usually only occurs from late-August until mid-March

The heat cycle is characterized by uneasiness, riding other animals, shaking the tail, bleating, etc.

Breeding

After breeding, the gestation period is approximately 150 days for dairy goats

Goats should not be bred until they are at least 85 pounds, or about 10 months old

Earlier breeding can stunt the growth of both the fetus and the pregnant doe

Dentitionتقدير العمر Goats have eight incisors (cutting or biting

teeth) on the lower front jaw. These are sharp and small in animals less than one year.

They meet a hard pad (dental pad) in the upper jaw. At about one year, the center teeth will drop out and they are replaced by two permanent teeth.

تقدير العمر

Twenty-four molars (chewing or grinding teeth) are found in the back, six on each side of the upper and lower jaws.

At about the age of two, two or more large front teeth appear, one on each side of the yearling teeth.

The three or four year old has 6 permanent teeth, two more than the two year old.

تقدير العمر

At four or five years of age, the animals have a complete set of eight permanent teeth in front. After this point, the age is judged by the amount of wear on the front teeth. As the animal ages, the teeth spread and drop out. It becomes difficult for her to eat properly, so care should be taken to make sure she eats sufficient amounts of food.

تقدير العمر

Health Managementالرعاية الصحية Herd health management programs attempt to

organize all information applicable to goat herd health into a simple, usable, and easily remembered format.

The goal of the program is to improve the herd's productivity through general husbandry, nutrition management, parasite control, vaccination, and environmental management. Careful recordkeeping must be done to monitor the program's progress.

Health Management Regarding general husbandry, it is

important to feed goats the appropriate rations and provide shelter against rain and dampness.

The goat's hooves must be trimmed regularly to prevent the overgrowth that leads to foot rot and other foot problems. Goats should be fenced out of wet, marshy areas for proper foot care.

Health Management Wethers being fed grain are subject to

urinary calculi, which are potentially fatal. Feeding ammonium chloride along with grain may help prevent formation of calculi. A constant source of fresh water is necessary for all goats.

All breeding-age animals must be tested for brucellosis and tuberculosis annually.

Health Management Each goat herd is unique and requires a program

to suit individual herd needs. This article attempts to give some guidelines that can be used to develop a herd health program.

What diseases are problems in young kids? One of the most important things with young kids is to be sure that it nurses the doe in the first 12 hours after birth. Babies need the "first milk" (colostrum) from their mother in order to get antibodies that will help the kid fight off diseases. After 12 hours, the kid begins to lose the ability to absorb the antibodies.

Health Management It is also good to dip the navel in a weak betadine or

iodine solution to protect the kid from bacteria that can cause infection or death.

Diarrhea is a common problem in kids. You need to be able to identify the cause of the diarrhea in order to administer the proper treatment. If the diarrhea is green, the kid has probably eaten a poisonous plant. If the diarrhea is brown or yellow, the kid has scours. If the diarrhea is black, the kid probably has coccidiosis.

Health Management

Late Pregnancy and Dry Does

Does in late pregnancy should be allowed a 40- to 60-day dry period to regain condition lost during lactation, to allow the mammary glands to rest, and to prepare the doe for kidding as well as the next lactation.

Does bred at 70 to 110 days should be examined for pregnancy before drying off. At drying off, all udders should be treated with dry-cow mastitis antibiotics.

This treatment is very important, because many udder infections begin during the first several weeks of the dry period. Teats should be dipped for at least five days after drying off.

Health Management

The dry period is an ideal time to deworm the goats. Internal parasites increase activity during late pregnancy and can be eliminated if the does are dewormed during the dry period. Goats should be dewormed at breeding and two weeks before kidding; goats should also be examined for such external parasites as lice and treated if any are found

Health Management Late pregnancy is the recommended time

to give the yearly vaccination boosters that are used in the herd. The vaccine will both protect the doe and ensure high levels of antibodies in the colostrum, which will subsequently protect the newborn kid. I recommend at least a five-way Clostridium vaccine (C. perfringens types C and D, C. chauvoei,, C. novye, C. septicum, and C. sordellii) along with a tetanus booster three weeks before kidding.

Health Management

The doe must be kept in proper body condition (i.e., not too fat or too thin). Over-conditioning predisposes pregnant does to such metabolic problems as pregnancy toxemia. This disorder is often fatal to both the doe and the unborn kid.

Health Management Weaned Kids

Kids must be examined for intestinal parasites one month after weaning.

Buck kids and doe kids must be separated by three months of age. Polled kids should be rechecked for any genital abnormalities.

Feet must be trimmed before kids are turned out. Kids are susceptible to polioencephalomalacia, which is

caused by thiamine deficiency. Deficiency of this vitamin should be a primary diagnostic differential for any kid with neurological signs, such as blindness.

Health Management Bucks

Bucks are given vaccines and parasite treatments at the same time as other animals in the herd.

Bucks must be given plenty of exercise. Feet must be trimmed at least four times yearly. Before the breeding season, bucks must have

adequate body condition and should be examined for genital abnormalities.