Biosecurity & Health

Getting started

The primary way contagious diseases are introduced on a farm is via purchased animals.  Prior to buying animals, develop a plan with your veterinarian to screen the animals you are considering and to handle them during quarantine. If you are new to small ruminants, take an experienced farmer with you when viewing animals.  Familiarize yourself with contagious diseases and biosecurity measures, and learn to examine animals for health status.

Buying animals

• Screening for Diseases when Buying Goats and Sheep (PDF) by tatiana Stanton, Cornell University – Even when needing to “get big fast”, you may actually reach your target size quicker if you are highly selective about disease status when buying your foundation stock. The contagious diseases you initially introduce into your herd or flock will haunt you for years to come.

Testing animals

Below is a short list of veterinary diagnostic labs commonly used by NY farms.  Testing fees, accession fees, out-of-state fees, quality and types of tests do vary so consult with your veterinarian when choosing a lab.  Some labs only accept submissions by a veterinarian. This guarantees that a 3rd party handles the samples and allows a veterinarian who knows the farm to explain the results.

• Cornell Univ. Animal Health Diagnostic Lab (AHDL)
• North Carolina State Vet. Diagnostic Labs
• Pan American Vet Labs
• Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab (WADDL)

Examining animals

• Healthy Goat/Sheep Check List – This is a printable list which is handy to take with you when examining animals.
• How structurally sound is your goat or sheep? – Another printable checklist to assist you in selecting healthy animals.
• The three minute physical for sheep – This quick checkup is very applicable to goats as well.  It is designed to help veterinarians unfamiliar with small ruminants to effectively examine them.
• Body Condition Scoring Sheep – This an archived document from Oregon State Univ. that is still very relevant.
• Body Condition Scoring Goats – Complete with color photos by tatiana Stanton, Cornell University.

Biosecurity on the Farm

• NYSSGHAP sheep and goat biosecurity presentation
• Basic biosecurity best management practices for sheep & goat farms
• Ontario flock biosecurity assessment form
• Healthy Farms – Healthy Agriculture – this website on farm biosecurity has good information and detailed resources including example signage for visitors, lists of disinfectants, etc.

Health management plans – First identify your management groups (e.g. dry and late pregnant females, early to peak lactating females, past peak lactating females, newborns, preweaning kids/lambs, postweaning kids/lambs, yearlings, males). If possible, calculate current mortality rates and key health issues affecting each group’s welfare. Develop a management calendar for each group addressing potential and real problems. The following resources may help to develop your plan.

• Flock health management for dairy sheep
• A guide to udder health in dairy sheep

• DigitalNecropsy Examination of Sheep and Goats ¹ (PDF) by Mary C. Smith, DVM, Cornell University – Much useful information about the individual dead animal and health issues in the flock can be gleaned by performing a necropsy. However the body rots quickly, which makes interpretation of lesions difficult…
• Flock Health Management for Dairy Sheep ² (PDF) by Mary C. Smith, DVM and Susan M. Stehman, VMD, Cornell University – Dairy sheep producers usually have a background of experience with farm management and disease and parasite control in less intensively managed sheep before they develop a commercial dairy operation. This paper will assume knowledge of vaccination protocols and parasite control, abortion diseases, foot diseases, lambing problems and care of the neonate…
• Prevention and Treatment of Dairy Sheep Diseases ¹ (PDF) by Mary Smith, DVM, Cornell University – The relative importance of health problems in dairy sheep flocks will depend on where you live, what you feed your sheep, and many aspects of your management, including where the sheep originated…
• Prevention and Treatment of Mastitis ¹ (PDF) by Paul D. Virkler, Cornell University – Mastitis is defined as inflammation of the mammary gland. In dairy sheep this inflammation is most commonly caused by a bacterial infection that has entered the mammary gland through the teat canal. This paper will primarily focus on practical ways to prevent mastitis…
• Somatic Cell Counts and Mammary Infections on Small Ruminant Dairies in Vermont ² (PDF) by Daniel L. Scruton, Vermont Department of Agriculture – A study was done comparing the value of CMT, Conductivity Testing and Electronic Somatic Cell Count compared to cultures on determining the infection status of sheep and goats. Also investigated was the type and prevalence of mastitis in the herds studied…

Importance of the veterinarian
Sheep and goat owners are certainly aware that many different kinds of health issues can affect their animals. Therefore, it is important to establish a professional relationship with a veterinarian. Veterinarians are trained diagnosticians, keep up with treatment options, and have resources to solve difficult problems. For further specifics about the need to work with a veterinarian, please visit the Cornell Sheep Program website