Here’s the reason why your goat and sheep may have lost that pregnancy

The latter include trauma resulting from rough handling, but it is the infectious diseases that should concern sheep and goat keepers, because of the possibility to affect the whole herd and subsequent spread to human beings.PHOTO: COURTESY

In goats and sheep, abortions can be a result of infectious or non-infectious agents.

The latter include trauma resulting from rough handling, but it is the infectious diseases that should concern sheep and goat keepers, because of the possibility to affect the whole herd and subsequent spread to human beings.

There are several diseases in sheep and goats that can cause abortion. They include chlamydia which causes enzootic abortion of ewes, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, Rift Valley disease, vibriosis just to mention but a few.

Chlamydia should be suspected if abortions occur during the last two or three weeks of pregnancy or when kids are born when weak. Infected animals can shade infectious agents if not treated and therefore transmit the disease to others in the herd.
The disease is easily treatable with antibiotics.

The causative agents for the above diseases are present in the aborted feotus and most of them are transmissible to man. Great care needs to be taken when handling the the foetuses and placentas from suspected goats and sheep.

Rift Valley fever is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes and follows above normal rainfall, dam constructions which result in high population of mosquitoes.

The disease is characterised by abortions and can spread to man when one comes into contact with the aborted foetus and placenta. In humans, the disease is fatal. This disease can be prevented through vaccination.

Some of these diseases for example toxoplasmosis will cause reabsorption of foetuses, farmers will complain of disappearing pregnancies.

Toxoplasmosis, should be suspected when there is presence of rodents or cats on farm, since toxoplasma is normally shed into the environment from where they can contaminate hay and later ingested.

This disease has no effective treatment and thus the prevention is the only option.

In areas with stagnant water, goat may suffer leptospirosis which is characterised by abortion in addition to anaemia and yellowing of eyes and skin.

Q fever is a common cause of abortion in goats but can also affect sheep. The bacteria is spread in milk, feces, urine, and placenta of affected goats.

Coxiella burnetii is the bacteria that causes Q fever and is the reason why milk is pasteurised.

Q fever can be treated with antibiotics but it must be noted that it is a zoonotic disease that can be spread to human beings; veterinarians, researchers and farmers are at risk groups and will exhibit flu like clinical signs.