CL all of a sudden?

chicamarun · #1 05/03/08, 05:55 PM

We have had these goats close to 6 months now - no signs of CL at all. Put them in the back pasture recently (about 3 weeks ago) and now all of a sudden a few are showing signs of CL with a swollen "node" each one under their right ear (same location on ALL the goats - I think I saw 4 with it)

I haven't introduced anyone new here at all in that back pasture - the sheep are fine and the steers are fine.

Can it lay dormant and all of a sudden just pop up like that?

I'm having some butchered tomorrow and I think it might be different ones than I was originally planning on because of this (which irritates me because I like 2 of those a lot)

ozark_jewels · #2 05/03/08, 06:21 PM

CL can lie dormant for quite a while, yes. Many times a goat can be a carrier but not show until some type of stress can bring it on. Under the ear is a *very* common place for CL.
That said, I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that it MUST be CL just yet since you just moved them to new pastures, it is spring and they will be getting into new stuff, etc. Many things can effect the size of lymph nodes just as in people. When you fight an infection they can swell. One guy I know had swollen lymph glands in about 20 does after they got a batch of slightly musty feed. After about a week, they were all back to normal. It was their bodies way of fighting it off. But that is *usually* seen in the lymph nodes under their jaw, not under the ear.
I would get them tested and watch them *very* closely for any signs of the bumps growing even just a little. I wouldn't butcher until you *knew*, unless you plan on butchering them eventually anyway.
Are your sheep CL free??

thatcompchick · #3 05/03/08, 07:03 PM

It definitely can lay dormant, even serio-convert?sp? - only way to know is to blood test - they can have it internal and you'll never see a lump until you go to butcher and BOOM, carcass condemned.

Andrea

chicamarun · #4 05/03/08, 09:27 PM

Interesting - well I'll start by taking the stupid ones I don't like anyway (no matter what they get stuck in the fence and they aren't what we want) and go from there.

I'll take a look at the one I would really like to keep soon. I'm a little slow now because of one of the cows stepping on my foot last Monday - so I won't be loading the goats.

Yes - the sheep have been here 3 years no problems and as far as we know - CL free.

thatcompchick · #5 05/03/08, 09:39 PM

Unfortunately, if the sheep and goats have been in the same pasture, it's possible the sheep can get it. Sheep are more prone to getting it internally - which sucks from a production standpoint.

I'd keep the lumpy goats out of the pasture/shared fence areas as the sheep to be sure...

Andrea

**mygoat** · #6 05/04/08, 01:17 PM

Actually, any person/sheep/goat/animal in contact with those cl goats can get CL... so be wary around them - wear gloves

I would have a vet come out and remove an abscess whole, and send it in for testing. Lance the rest and dispose of the contents accordingly.

Isolate all suspects, and test the herd. Wear different workboots/pants to their pasture, have as little contact as possible and don't go in their pasture as little as possible. Do their chores last.

Likely though, being as contagious as it is, it is probably in your soil and will stay there for up to 10 years infecting future animals as well. Also, some can be positive and never show a sign.

Sorry to hear this has happened to your herd. I'm guessing some hard decisions are in your near future and hope everything turns out all right for you.

chicamarun · #7 05/04/08, 03:04 PM

Well 2 of them today show no signs again - lump totally gone.... only 1 has a lump this morning but it's now 1/2 the size it was. So I am watching closely and wondering if it was a reaction to something in the field instead - but will get them tested in case.

No hard feelings with these goats honestly - sad to say it didn't break my heart to take 7 to the butcher today - I'm looking forward to "Goat Snack Sticks" (think slim jims made out of goat meat). If I have to take the rest no big deal to me - I like 2 of them cause they look good and produce good babies - but nothing personal with any of these.

I don't have any place to isolate right now as so many of our fields need to rest and we need to do more fencing so we CAN move some of these animals ASAP to new pasture anyway. It took longer for some of the fields to come back from our drought last year and now we've finally had rain the grass has finally grown.

thatcompchick · #8 05/04/08, 10:19 PM

no sign of puss with the lump gone? Did you check underneath for any hair loss, etc? That's kinda weird.

I would be more worried about infecting your kids (2 legged) and kids. Usually goat kids are butchered before cl becomes evident, so a lot of 'meat' breeders don't bother with it. If you are keeping breeding stock though, I'd go ahead and have them tested.

I wouldn't move the possible infected goats to the new pasture!!!! keep THEM where they are, move the others!!

Andrea
www.arare-breed.net
www.faintinggoat.net