Let’s talk Goats: External Parasites

Mumararungu Diane checking a sick goat

Goats are prone to a number of parasites, some more harmful than others.

Good management can reduce the burden to below levels of economic damage but complete elimination is unrealistic to achieve.

1. Ticks    

Ticks are perhaps the most common and most harmful parasites because they transmit diseases like heartwater and gallsickness. Ticks mostly concentrate on places with less hair; under the legs, under the tail and between the hooves and sometimes in the ears. They can also cause lameness and nasty sores.

Which ticks are most common varies from area to area. Uncontrolled they can cause serious disease outbreaks.

Regular dipping in a plunge dip or with a knapsack sprayer will control the ticks. A systemic dip will give better control if using a knapsack sprayer as it is difficult to ensure full coverage of the whole animal. You can also use pour-on formulations though they tend to be more expensive.

It is possible to keep goats without dipping if other measures are taken to control ticks and tick borne disease or if diseases are not prevalent in your area.

In some areas where cattle are regularly dipped the goats may not have problems with ticks.

You will have fewer ticks if you have cattle with good tick control and if you rotate your grazing areas with longer intervals and if you do not share grazing with animals that lack parasite control.

Ivermectin injection also controls ticks though should not be used as the only long-term solution as it may build resistance.

2. Mange

Mange looks like a skin disease but is in fact a parasite burrowing into the skin. The first signs are a slight thinning of the hair followed by a tendency to scratch. Later the skin becomes whitish and stiff and large areas of hair loss are seen. If not treated the skin cracks and may bleed and the goat eventually dies. Treatment with some dips is partially effective but others have no effect. The best treatment is an injectable anti-parasitic such as Ivermectin. Healthy well fed goats are less prone to mange. It usually affects young goats just weaned or very old goats.

3. Fleas

Outbreaks of fleas do not do much harm to adult goats but can kill new-born babies. They suck enough blood for the baby to die of severe anaemia. Ivermectin and/or dipping and cleaning out the house and treating the floor will get these under control.

4. Lice

Outbreaks of lice are less common but do happen. Same remedy as above though some dips treat neither lice nor fleas so do read the label carefully.

Feeding parasites eats your income. Sick or dead animals are unproductive. Keep your parasite loads low.

- Ruth Henson