How would YOU handle this?

mammawof3 · #1 06/15/06, 08:09 AM

We broke down and purchased a few animals from a" breeders organisation"4-H sale-3 weeks later, one came down w/soremouth-the breeder is also a vet-he diagnosed for us, said the animal must of picked it up from the "pens" at the building the sale was held at-it has pretty much gone through our entire kid crop-even w/ issolation-his advice is too either maintain 2 entire seperate herds-or to cull every animal that gets it-and that we can never use that area they were in-ever again for goats/w/out them getting it! I have read that once they get it, they are immune-he agrees-but says they could be a carrier-my queation-if everyone culls every animal that gets it/wouldn't you eventually be OUT of goats TOO cull?? If they make a vaccine for it, which gives your animals a mild case of it, WHY would culling be the answer? I also read that the virus stays strong in "inside pens" ect. BUT is quickly de-activated in pastures/lots/that get rained on and sun beating down on.I wanted to keep a few of the doe kids-so far they don't have it-but since they have been running w/the group that the "affected" ones came out of-would that be wise? I don't have as much of a problem w/culling kid crop/as most were destined for market anyway-but if it finds it's way into my doe herd/or the replacement 5 month old doe kids-do i really HAVE too go "out of goats!" How would YOU handle this-anyone gone through it? I am so confused-DH says CULL----Anything that gets it!

nduetime · #2 06/15/06, 08:17 AM

Ouch!!! That is one tough break. I am newer to goats and have not researched this one yet. Does it affect the meat or milk for consumption?

ozark_jewels · #3 06/15/06, 08:33 AM

No, I've never heard of a vet giving worse advice than that about soremouth. Soremouth is like chicken pox. They get it once, and they shouldn't get it again. For a healthy goat, it is merely an inconvenience for a couple weeks. It *can* be bad if a doe gets it on her udder if she is nursing kids. Usually she won't let them nurse while it is sore. But I have never had that happen, just heard about it. My herd went through soremouth four years ago. They somehow picked it up on the trip to the new farm! It was ugly(looks like warts around their lips), they never stopped eating or lost weight, and the whole herd was over it in three weeks. And I have a large herd. In my opinion.....no big deal. Yep, any goat that hasn't had soremouth when bought into my herd, may get a slight case. Because it is in the ground. It is usually so slight that I *might* see one or two little wartlike things on their lips, then its gone. Most goats get some form of soremouth in their lifetime, it is so easy to pick up. Most herds will go through it in one form or another if they are kept very long. It is usually no big deal. I can't imagine anyone culling all stock that had ever had soremouth, that is just ridiculous. Soremouth is nothing to be ashamed of, its not like CL or CAE.....it comes, it goes away, its over. Soremouth isn't a concern for me, it never has been. Its not something I even ask about when considering buying a goat, CL, CAE, Johnnes....yes, those I worry about. Next to them, soremouth is nothing.
If it was me....I would wait till these girls are over it(when you see no more scabs or warts), then add them to my herd. If you aren't comfortable with that, then certainly cull them.....but your vet is WAY over-reacting, if not to say just plain wrong. I don't even believe that there is such a thing as a goat that is a "soremouth carrier". Once they are over it, they are over it. A goat shouldn't get it from another goat unless said goat has an active case of soremouth or has had it very recently and is still carrying it on her hair. I might be wrong about that....but thats my experience. Don't welcome soremouth with open arms.....but don't be afraid of it.

steff bugielski · #4 06/15/06, 08:44 AM

Ditto-
we had it a few years back also. Once in a while one of the kids gets it but no big deal. Just make sure it is eating. As for thre milk and meat not a problem at all.
Steff

Cara · #5 06/15/06, 09:15 AM

I agree with the other people...it's yucky and probably uncomfortable...then it's done. We vacinated all when some in the herd got it and mine didn't get it (my goats were at the 4H leaders while we moved.) No biggie.

RedTartan · #6 06/15/06, 11:51 AM

I don't understand why the vet would say that you can't ever have goats in the affected areas again. I haven't kept goats, but I have basic knowledge of viruses. Even the most hardy viruses can't live longer than 7 days on a dry surface and 14 on a moist surface.

I'd get a second opinion. He sounds kind of "off".

RedTartan

redroving · #7 06/15/06, 01:05 PM

I have sheep and they picked it up when we used to show at fairs. It went through our flock heavy for about 3 years then has settled down to maybe one case a year if that. At first it was very pronounced with the pimples covering their mouths and on the ewes udder, which once we found out that it was there it was too late to save the udder (it sealed off the teat). The cases were pretty extreme but with iodine treatment and penicillin for any secondary infections we were able to halt the spread. Subsequent years tapered off to milder cases. Soremouth spores lasts for eons in the soil in barns, once you have it, it is almost impossible to get rid of, the animals do get immune and build a resistence so it doesn't affect them. Sunlight does kill the spores but in barns that is next to impossible.
That has been our experience with sheep.

Laura Workman · #8 06/16/06, 01:28 AM

Ditto what Emily said. Every word. Some vets are really good. Way too many other vets think they know a whole lot more than they do. Their advice MUST be weighed against the voice of experience from those who actually OWN and MANAGE dairy goats. Just taking the advice of a book-learned vet will buy you and your goats all kinds of grief. Please don't ask how I know, 'cause it will take a long, long time to write it all down, AND I'll get upset all over again. I don't need that.

mammawof3 · #9 06/16/06, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laura Jensen

Ditto what Emily said. Every word. Some vets are really good. Way too many other vets think they know a whole lot more than they do. Their advice MUST be weighed against the voice of experience from those who actually OWN and MANAGE dairy goats. Just taking the advice of a book-learned vet will buy you and your goats all kinds of grief. Please don't ask how I know, 'cause it will take a long, long time to write it all down, AND I'll get upset all over again. I don't need that.

Thanks all for the quick responces.I too thought it sounded "harsh"-but since we had never seen it here, and you don't hear much about it-we were afraid it was one of those "things" that aren't common-that you WANT to erradicate-and the vets advice seemed to support that idea! We hope to sell fair wethers ourselves, and were worried about someone else going through the same thing. I feel alot better now

Is there any truth in the sun and rain helping too "de-activate" the virus ? Any idea if a wooden stock panel trailor, that held the first "soremouth" kids-would "harbor" the virus-putting anything else we put in it at risk? So happy that my "bottle baby"-who i brought back too life ,twice in her early days-does not have to join the meat kids-in order too "save the herd!"

Laura Workman · #10 06/17/06, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mammawof3

Is there any truth in the sun and rain helping too "de-activate" the virus ? Any idea if a wooden stock panel trailor, that held the first "soremouth" kids-would "harbor" the virus-putting anything else we put in it at risk? So happy that my "bottle baby"-who i brought back too life ,twice in her early days-does not have to join the meat kids-in order too "save the herd!"

Being out in the weather is a very good deactivator for this particular virus. The virus lives in the scab material, which can become pulverized into dust and still be contagious, so yes, the stock trailer can harbor the bug. I'd clean it very thoroughly. Then I might or might not try to hit it with some anti-viral spray, thoroughly soaking the wood. At the very least, I'd hit it with water, maybe a couple of times, again thoroughly soaking the wood, on the theory that wetness inside will work to kill the virus as well as wetness outside.