Animal Health
Dr. Ashley M. Stokes
What are the important things we can do to improve health?
How can we keep them healthy?
Key things they need: Key things to do for them:
Beef cattle Nutrition
Pigs Housing/field conditions
Chickens/Ducks Stress
Goats Management
Prevent disease
How can we keep them healthy?
Basics of health management:
Not all losses and diseases can be prevented, but good
management can reduce these problems
Outcomes of disease:
Animal can die – loss, but not as common
Animal can get sick and eventually recover – MAJOR LOSS,
most common outcome, problem is loss in production,
treatment costs, labor costs, weight loss, potential spread to
other animals
Can be obvious and sick
May not be so obvious but results in same problem - loss!
Animal health
Principles of health
Healthy animals take care and attention
Good nutrition
Good quality food = less disease
Housing/shelter
Protection from sun, heat, rain, winds
If kept in houses, need good ventilation
Clean
Keep things clean and in good repair
Check animals often
The sooner the better
Beef cattle
How to tell if they are sick
Resting too much instead
of eating
When put in a new place to
graze, they don’t
Don’t have a good shape
(flat sided)
Droopy ears
Head held low
Humped back
Limping
Runny nose
Diarrhea
Beef cattle
How to tell if they are
sick
Normal temperature is
101.5 degrees F
Can range in normal
animal 99-103 if in
sun/hot/humid/dark
color of hair
Normal breathing rate is
10-30 breaths/minute
Higher end for
hot/humid/dark cattle
Calves will have higher
breathing rate at 15-40
Beef cattle
Body condition score
Check and write down at least twice a year
See Dr. Thorne’s notes
1-9 points
1=really skinny
9=obese
*5-6= perfect for breeding and health*
Goats
How to tell if they are sick
Very strong instinct to stay
with herd
When scared, form a line
and watch
+/- Sneeze sound
May not show signs of
being sick or may be subtle
Alert eyes, upright tail
Browsing for feeding
Goats
How to tell if they are
sick
Normal temperature is
102.3 degrees F
Can range 101.5-103.5
in normal animal if
sun/hot/humid dark
color of hair
Normal breathing rate is
12-20 breaths/minute
Higher end for
hot/humid/dark goats
Goats
Body condition score
Check and write down at least 4x a year
First lumbar vertebrae (right behind ribs – feel muscle)
0-5 points
0=really skinny
5=obese
*3= perfect*
Pigs
How to tell if they are sick
Growing pigs sleep a lot
Wake easy
Move around, move to
corner, make noise, then
show interest
Stay very close together
Don’t get pushed around
by pen-mates
Ears should be up, curl in
tail
Is body condition similar to
others?
Pigs
How to tell if they are
sick
Normal temperature
is101.5 F
Can range 100.4-102.8
in normal animal if
hot/humid
Can be up to 103.5 in
piglets
Normal breathing rate is
15 breaths/minute
Piglets will have higher
breathing rate at 30
Pigs
Body condition score
Check and write down at breeding, mid-pregnancy, farrowing
1-5 points (different that the scores for cattle)
1=really skinny
5=obese
*3.5= perfect for breeding and health*
Have to press with hands to feel backbone and hips
Chickens
How to tell if they are sick
Search for feed/scratch
Should stand strong
Head should be strong
Take up water into beak and
raise head
Vocalize when disturbed
Take care of feathers
Not feather plucking
Bright eyes and comb
Soft, formed droppings
Chickens
How to tell if they are
sick
Normal temperature is
103-109.4 F
Not really taken though
Normal breathing rate is
12-36 breaths/minute
No sweat glands
Will pant if too hot or
stressed
Chickens
Body condition score
Check and write down
0-3 points (different that the scores for other animals)
Holding upside down, feel breast bone
0=really skinny
3=obese
*2= perfect for laying and broiler*
Example 1
Pig
Pig has been growing fine until recently, feces are normal,
respiration is normal, no fever
Over time getting worse, a lot of scratching of the skin,
shaking of the head, reddish skin and ears, now one
swollen ear that is flopped down
Loss of body condition by 1 full point very recently
Example 1
Pig
Exam shows dark crusty material in ears
Look at this material under a microscope
Check other pigs and find that more than one pig has this
Example 1
Sarcoptic Mange – a mite/insect
Example 1
Pig
Finding is Sarcoptic mange
If left without treating, will not kill the pigs, but will cause
decreased gain of weight and decreased breeding
Treat with ivermectin injectable – note how long you
need to wait before slaughter
Since it spreads to many animals (often 15/100 animals)
– probably will need to treat all of them
Example 1
Pig
Finding is Sarcoptic mange
If left without treating, will not kill the pigs, but will cause
decreased gain of weight and decreased breeding
Treat with ivermectin injectable – note how long you
need to wait before slaughter
Since it spreads to many animals (often 15/100 animals)
– probably will need to treat all of them
Ear flopped down – formed a blood pocket in the ear
because of shaking head – can drain and put sutures in
Example 2
Chickens
Meat birds have weakness in the cage, sitting on legs
tucked under them, can’t stand much at all
Notice this in many chickens
Few birds have head tilted back and looking up
Loss of body condition
Example 2
Chickens
Meat birds have weakness in the cage, sitting on legs
tucked under them, can’t stand much at all
Notice this in many chickens
Few birds have head tilted back and looking up
Noticed that this has been developing over time
No diarrhea, no respiratory problems
Example 2
Chickens
Check feed – many animals are developing this
Find that vitamins and minerals are not at the right level
for these growing birds
Diagnosis is mineral and vitamin deficiency leading to
bone weakening and muscle weakening
Example 2
Chickens
Check feed – many animals are developing this
Find that vitamins and minerals are not at the right level
for these growing birds
Diagnosis is mineral and vitamin deficiency leading to
bone weakening and muscle weakening
Change to feed made for growing birds
Also check feed for others, laying hens, chicks – all need
better feed than scratch chicken feed
Example 2
Chickens
Best types of chicken feed for your groups
Example 2
Chickens
Best types of chicken feed for
your groups
Also – remember what the
gizzard needs
Example 3
See cows with red in urine
A few weeks later notice
abortions in cows
Example 3
Leptospirosis
Affects people!!!
Lives in surface waters & flood waters
Many types
Rodents, feral pigs, farm pigs, other
livestock, people
Signs - fever, depression, muscle pain
Often progresses to kidney damage
Important reason to keep animal
waste runoff away from water
sources/swimming areas
Remember:
Observe your animals
often
Watch behavior
Check their body
condition (small problems
can cost you more long-
term)
Look to make sure they
are healthy
Watch them grow!
Thank you for having us – it has been
wonderful to meet and learn about ya’ll!
