death rate ?

[MooseToo]

in our local area many owners of sheep and goats are reporting a significantly higher percentage of mortality of lambs and kids than in prior years - typically the animals appear totally normal and vital until 2 or 3 weeks of age and then, sudden death with no readily apparent cause - doesn't appear to be contagious since one of a set of trips or quads might survive - rate of juvenile mortality in some herds over 80 percent -

question - anyone outside of south-central ky experiencing anything like this ?

[Anon001]

I went to a couple goat and sheep clinics lately. The point at both was the fact that so many farms (worldwide)are experiencing higher and higher mortality rates. The number one cause is parasites.

Most parasites have become resistant to our chemical dewormers for a couple reasons. One reason is that the recommendations everyone has been following are too low allowing to many parasites to become resistant. Also, there have been no new dewormers classifications in almost 20 years.

Some farms are experiencing 20% and and higher mortality.

Without taking up 14 postings, there are things people can do to help build resistance. Check with your local extension council or go to one of the online ag universities that have a good goat and sheep research department.

Paul

[cinok]

that sounds like floppy kid syndrome it can come on fast but can be treated.
http://www.barnonemeatgoats.com/fks.html
It has also been a bad year weather wise we have been below norm temps most of the winter Some of the producers down here who kid early had problems.

[MooseToo]

I went to a couple goat and sheep clinics lately. The point at both was the fact that so many farms (worldwide)are experiencing higher and higher mortality rates. The number one cause is parasites.

Most parasites have become resistant to our chemical dewormers for a couple reasons. One reason is that the recommendations everyone has been following are too low allowing to many parasites to become resistant. Also, there have been no new dewormers classifications in almost 20 years.

Some farms are experiencing 20% and and higher mortality.

Without taking up 14 postings, there are things people can do to help build resistance. Check with your local extension council or go to one of the online ag universities that have a good goat and sheep research department.

Paul

cure/prevention was not my question, paul - i'm trying to ascertain if this is a local thing or something more widespread -

[Anon001]

cure/prevention was not my question, paul - i'm trying to ascertain if this is a local thing or something more widespread -

....and my point is that it is widespread. For whatever reasons, people all over the country have been having higher mortality rates every year.

Paul

[MooseToo]

sure seems like higher mortality all over the place would be stirring up a heck of a lot more discussion than seems to be the case - the odd wild species having such problems do get a whole lot more press -

[Junie]

I'm in central KY, but more north. I had this problem last year. It turned out to be parasites. I actually lost all but one of my kids and several of my goats before I figured out what the problem was. FWIW, I'd been treating them for worms, but not the right kind. (Sorry, but I can't remember what kind it turned out to be. I sold off my herd after I treated them)

[momma_to_seven_chi]

Mortality rates seem to be higher in wetter years than in drier years. That might not exactly answer your question, but it might have more to do with weather in certain locations than in the locations themselves.

And Paul is right....... The fact is that there is a large number of resistant parasites that kill young animals. It has gotten worse during the last few years. But that usually happens a bit later rather than within a day or two after birth. And it is much worse on lands that have supported livestock for many years versus virgin livestock pens. It helps if you rotate pen areas rather than using the same land years after year. It is much worse in wet years too.

[silvergramma]

I just bought a hand full of goats from someone nearby whose does lost all but one of their kids during the Christmas blizzard..they werent home...so no way to save them from the intense cold their set up wasnt all that great either..
I just bought some lumber and hardware and had a friend of mine build some kid tipi shelters for cold weather exactly like the design in Dairy Gaot Journal..someone had a list on the Goat Spot forum for feeding them natural parasite control.. check into it,,
we are in northern North Dakota..I have two does due now,, one at the end of this month and the other in the middle of April.. Am doing everything I can think of to make sure all the babies make it..and am also hoping to find someone to make me some fleece kid coats for just in case..should have around 24 total on premises by end of next week,, so far we have 10 adult does and 5 younger ones.. with three wethers a young buck and one guy we're not sure if the banding took effect cause he is so rutty most of the time not like the other wethers..we have another wether and a registered buck coming home this week
One of my other does that we gave away the owner wants to bring her here to be rebred so they can have milk again.. so that would make it 25 for a few weeks or maybe for the summer. we'll see..
I will be selling off my non registered does for milking for anyone wanting to start up with smaller animals on their homestead.. you can pm me if you are interested... these are Nigerian Dwarf girls out of registered does and a feinting billy that we used to have I have their pictures on disk if you want me to send them in email..thanks..