Return to:

State accredited free in both New Jersey and Virginia since 1997 for dairy goats

Due to the increase of buyers requesting Johnes test results we, as responsible breeders, are now starting to test for this as well. We had our initial test in January 2005 with all results being negative on the herd through Wisconsin University. As advised, we will test again in June 2005 and then annually with our normal blood tests.

Tests in June 2005 - all negative.

We administer CD&T on an annual basis to our whole herd

We worm our whole herd quarterly

Unknown

Thiamine Deficiancy (?)

2001 - Misdiagnosed by veterinarian
The surviving daughter to the 2000 doe below came down with the same symptoms as her dam. We quickly administered Thiamine and antibiotics to her and she pulled through. She is on thiamine maintenance for the rest of her life.

We will not breed her again and have taken that line from our herd through selling them as pets to people who will not breed them.

2004 - Yet another doe has shown signs of this mystery illness. I took her to Virginia Tech where she was donated so they can observe her over time. She has been adopted by one of the vet techs from VA Tech who will continue medical care on her and report back to us any findings.

2003 - One of our does was punctured with a multi-floral thorn which got infected. We had the cyst surgically removed and she is fine.

2004 - A 2 week old buckling had gotten a thorn or splinter from hay or straw lodged in his throat. After weeks of treatment, he is doing just fine. he was sold and the new owner a year later is estatic with him.

This is an email response back from a goat vet on this issue:

From: "Marie Bulgin"
Reply-To:cornerstonefarm@ilovejesus.net
Subject: Re: Arcanobacterium question
Date: Sat 05/29/04 08:45 AM

Dear Barb and Ward,
No, Arcanobacter pyogenes is not associated with caseous lymphadenitis. It is not contagious and should not require any special management practices to control its spread to other animals. Since it is commonly found on the skin of ruminants, it is not uncommon to find it in abcesses in sheep, goats and cows.

The post surgical swelling that you are seeing could be several different things and your veterinarian can probably tell much better than I. If material did happen to leak from the mass when it was moved, you could have a cellulitis started. If a vessel was cut during the surgery, you could have a hematoma, or it could just be inflamation due to tissue damage from the surgery. There is a lot of loose connective tissue in that area, so it tends to swell more than other areas. If it is not hot, if the incision is dry, if the animals temperature is normal and if you have it on antibiotics, it is probably just fine. It should begin to receeding by now if it is normal swelling and if not, have your veterinarian access it. However, I don't think you have to worry about the problem being caseous.

Sincerely,
Dr. Marie S. Bulgin
Idaho-Caine Center Coordinator Caine Veterinary Teaching Center University of Idaho Caldwell, ID

2001 & 2005 - Our pet wether had come down with UC in these two years. We treated him with a strict regiment of antibiotics, Dexamethazone, Ammonium Chloride in water dosing, and table salt. For both of these instances, he pulled through.

Both times were my fault for going against my own advice of NOT feeding sweet grain to wethers. He is now on medicated grain that conatins Ammonium Chloride.

2004 - Had our first case of mastitis show up in one of our three year old milkers. The mastitis was caused by an injury to the left teat. We are assuming it was stepped on. It was not a major mastitis infection as the diseased milked came out of the udder in the first few strippings and milk flowed well after that.

We treated with Pen-G (3cc for 4 days) and milked her every few hours the first day. Within 3 milkings the infection cleared up and by day 4 her milk production was back to normal. No invasive mastitis treatment was used.

We brought samples to the vet to culture and confirm that Pen-G would help eliminate the bacterial infection.

2006 - this year we had 2 does contract mastitis which resulted in the loss of 1/2 an udder on each doe. Both were a bit of a mystery. The first was treated for the disease before she even freshened and the second showed absolutely no signs of matitis until she went systemic overnight. We believe she was hiding another infection and the Mastitis was where it "bloomed".

The first doe was treated at the vet for 12 hours with slow drip antibiotics and anti-toxin IV meds. The second doe, due to the disease going systemic was treated for a week with the same therapy.

Urinary Calculi

Unknown

Thiamine Deficiancy(???)

Symptoms only showed after 2 weeks fresh.

2000 - Misdiagnosed by veterinarian
One of our does came down with thiamine deficiency(???) symptoms and it was misdiagnosed by many vets as a neck injury. We brought her to the University of Pennsylvania, New Bolton center where they performed multiple tests on her which all proved negative, including thiamine deficiency. We had to have her put down.

2003 - After 2 years fighting this unknown genetic malady, the daughter to our 2000 doe has passed on.

2004 (still alive, but in pet home) - A third doe in this line showed up with the same symptoms after kidding. We brought her to Virginia Tech were multiple tests were run and were inconclusive as well. We donated the doe to VA Tech so they can monitor her over time and report back any findings. She is adopted by a vet tech and will not be used as research.

It is now thought to be a genetic defect and we have culled this line from our herd by placing goats in permanent pet homes.

2005 - A doe in her 4th month gestation, started to prolaspe. Two weeks away from kidding she started bloating as well. I call the vet right away not knowing that it was bloat. Both the vet and I missed this and by the time we rushed her in for an emergency C-section, it was too late. She passed on in the struggle to get an IV into her. There was not enough time to pull the kids.

2007 - A doe with large kids had to be taken to the vet to have them pulled. The vet was inexperienced and we lost the doe and two kids.