Common health challenges for small-scale sheep and goat herds

Abstract

A frequent complaint of small-scale sheep and goat producers is the difficulty of finding a veterinarian who is experienced in working with small ruminants. Bovine veterinarians may fill this void because of their extensive experience in nutrition, livestock management practices, routine surgical procedures, and disease control programs. Some of the more common sheep and goat health challenges occurring on small properties include failure to thrive, neonatal contracted tendons, neonatal limb fractures, enterotoxemia, peracute Mannheimia pneumonia, coccidiosis, urolithiasis, pregnancy toxemia, and dystocia. Approaches to treatment of these conditions in sheep and goats that are different from routine treatment in cattle are described.