Dl4—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, May 3,1980
Guss answers 6 What’s new in dairy goats’
BYPATKAUFFMAN
LANCASTER “The
dairy goat industry is at
least 30 years behind the cow
industry." With these words,
Sam Guss summed up his
thoughts on finding a proven
herd sire.
“The problem is that no
one knows where the good
sires are. While the great
does can be found on their
milk production, the great
sire may be in some back
yard,” Guss continued. He
emphasized the need to use
classification as well as
more modem techniques to
determine genetic potential.
Guss was m Lancaster
recently to address the
Dutch Country Dairy Goat
Association. His topic,
What’s New m Dairy Goats,
included discussion on
research and advances in
dairy goat husbandry.
On the common problem of
abscesses, Guss noted that
recent research clearly
indicates that the organism
which causes the abscess
can penetrate normal skin
and produce an abscess in as
little as 6 weeks. He notea
that there is a newly
developed blood test, that
when ready for general use
could do alot to stem the
transmission of the disease
at goat shows and
exhibitions.
Guss emphasized
sanitation as the strongest
method presently at disposal
to stem disease problems m
dairy goats. Young animals,
he stated should never be
housed with adults. “In
Johnnes Disease, abscesses
and coccidiosis, if the kids
are taken from their dams at
birth, only about 10 percent
will become infected. At
least for the first four
months, the kids should be
housed separately. ’ ’
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He noted that the feed and
water facilities of the
animals should at no tune be
subject to contamination
from fecal droppings. This
one area of concern could be
the one where the most gam
could be realized. Parasite
cycles could be controlled
more readily by limiting
initial infection than by
chemical warfare.
Guss noted that the good
goat veterinarians are not
always where you would
expect to find them. He cited
several examples where the
goat owners found an ad
vantage in taking their
animals to small animal vets
rather than the large animal
veterinarians. “A vet that
sees only dogs and cats finds
a goat a pleasant diversion
and will often take extra
time and effort to see that
the proper methods are
used,” he offered.
When questioned on
specifics in controlling
parasites, Guss stated that
pasture rotation at 2 week
intervals along with a drug
worming program con
ducted at 2 week intervals
rather than the more
common 1 month interval
seemed to be most effective.
He cited Sudan grazing
during the early morning
and evening hours and
alfalfa grazing during the
dry hours of the day as
probably the most effective
use of pasture for goats.
In feeding goats to reach
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their genetic potential, Guss
invited the crowd to make
use of their locally suc
cessful dairy farmers. He
noted that a ruminant
whether sheep, goat or cow
is fed as a ruminant. And
that with the great strides
made in the formualation of
dairy feeding programs, the
goat owner would be wise to
find someone who practices
challenge feeding or equally
advanced feeding techniques
and learn them from him.
The one area of caution
Guss noted was the feeding
of urea. When feed con
taining urea gets damp,
goats will not like the smell
of ammonia it releases and
will not eat it. In addition, he
noted that many tunes goats
are fed higher proportions of
gram than cows per body
weight and that goat owners
would be more likely to run
into urea poisoning.
Beet pulp was cited by
Guss as a good substitute for
silage. Silage he noted is
difficult for the goat owner to
acquire, and often goats will
not eat it.
On the specific topic of
coccidiosis, Guss noted that
if accurate samples were
taken from goats in all herds
of 5 or more animals, he
would expect virtually all
herds to show some evidence
of coccidia. While the
organisms are common, the
damage they do is largely
limited to young animals.
Crowding, dampness, and
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contamination coupled with
the stress of weaning are the
culprits to I **'
Noting recent problems
with animals bringing sore
mouth into a herd when they
return from a show, Gnss
recommended a program of
vaccination. “Sore mouth
causes a horrible mastitis in
lactatmg animals if any
virus finds its way into the
teat end,” he stated. He
cautioned the group to be
extremely careful when
giving the vaccine as it can
cause a very serious disease
in humans.
In managing problem
dehvenes, Guss told the
group that while most vets
are under the mistaken
impression that waiting is
the preferred course of
action, he has found that the
cervix closes quickly in a
goat and the result can be
not only dead kids, but a
dead goat. “If you notice a
bubble and discharge in the
morning, don’t let the doe go
until noon,” he warned the
group.
While he listed a group of
wormers which look
promising in the future
control of internal parasites,
Guss lamented that they
have not yet been cleared by
the government.
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