A survey incorporating field and abattoir studies was carried out on the prevalence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum in sheep and goats in the Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh (India). Coprological studies on these migratory animals revealed that 8.1% of sheep and 4.1% of goats were positive for dicrocoeliosis, with a mean number of eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) of 702.1 for sheep and 566.7 for goa...

A study of amoxicillin pharmacokinetics was conducted in healthy goats and goats with chronic lead intoxication. The intoxicated goats had increased serum concentrations of liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transferase), blood urea nitrogen, and reactivated δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase compared to the controls. Following intravenous amoxicillin (10 mg/kg bw) in control...

The aim of this study was to assess the mechanisms of transmission of bluetongue virus serotype 26 (BTV-26) in goats. A previous study, which investigated the pathogenicity and infection kinetics of BTV-26 in goats, unexpectedly revealed that one control goat may have been infected through a direct contact transmission route. To investigate the transmission mechanisms of BTV-26 in more detail a...

Previously we showed that the primer pheromone responsible for the "male effect" was produced in specific skin regions of castrated male goats by androgen treatments. In the present study, we examined whether androgen can also induce production of the male effect pheromone in female goats. Capsules containing dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or testosterone (T) were subcutaneously implanted into six o...

The effect of fetal number (single or twin) on plasma concentrations of progesterone, estradiol 17β, cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone, triiodothyronine, thyroxine and insulin around parturition (periparturient period) were studied on ten Alpine × Beetle crossbred goats in their first to third lactation. The hormone profiles were studied on days -20, -15, -10, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1 prior to kidd...

This study was carried out from November 2007 to March 2008 to identify the species and to determine the burden of small intestinal helminth parasites of sheep and goats slaughtered in Hawassa, southern Ethiopia. Intestines of 116 sheep and 71 goats were examined using standard procedures. Three species of parasites namely Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Bunostomum trigonocephalum and Moniezia ...

Goats’ milk adulteration with cows’ milk is becoming a big problem. In the past, the urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis assay with different motility of αS1-casein has been applied for the identification of cows’ milk adulteration. The detection sensitivity is 1.0%. The aim of this study was to develop a faster and more sensitive method to detect cows’ milk which may be present in adultera...

Dietary fiber contributes significantly to the balancing of nutrient requirements in goats. Dietary fiber also plays a pivotal role in goat production through its influence in and interaction with the intake and digestion of nutrients. Physiological regulation (feedback from metabolic factors) of intake is dominant in goats fed high-concentrate diets, while physical fill is the predominant fact...

Susceptibility of sheep to scrapie, a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of small ruminants, is strongly influenced by polymorphisms of the prion protein gene (PRNP). Breeding programs have been implemented to increase scrapie resistance in sheep populations; though desirable, a similar approach has not yet been applied in goats. European studies have now suggested that several polymorphis...

West African Dwarf (WAD) and Red Sokoto (RS) goats were experimentally infected with the Kafanchan strain of Trypanosoma congolense and the course of the infection was monitored. The organism was pathogenic and produced fatal disease in the goats, which was characterized by rapid progressive anaemia, leucocytosis, weight loss and death. All RS goats died within 11 days of infection, and had a m...