Goats and tick-borne encephalitis

Viral encephalitis spread ixodid ticksliving in the grass, on the lower branches of shrubs. The infection is transmitted through a bite, incubation period lasts 7-30 days. Symptoms are bright or absent in case of carriage. Is it possible to drink milk if the goat was bitten by a tick, than it threatens, later in our article.

Alimentary transmission of tick-borne encephalitis

The main source of infection in nutritional, foodborne infections are domestic animals - sheep, cows, goats. The virus enters milk, and then into the human body when a raw product is consumed.

Blood-sucking parasites feed on the blood of domestic animals. They attack grass pastures, lower branches of bushes. They bite a goat, attach themselves for several days, then fall off, lay their eggs, die. For breeding warm weather, high humidity, the presence of a rotten layer of foliage, grass is required.

Important!

The most dangerous in terms of encephalitis infection is goat milk, because goats are characterized by a long period of viremia. Throughout life, animals can get sick several times, being infectious at different stages. Symptoms are not always pronounced, so a person drinks milk, unaware of a terrible disease in a goat.

Goat milk encephalitis

When a raw product is consumed, the virus enters the gastrointestinal tract. It is localized in tissues, cells. It gradually penetrates the capillaries, enters the bloodstream, spreads throughout the body, multiplies in the blood. From lymph, the virus migrates to the immune system, affects the central nervous system, brain, and spinal cord.

The first manifestations of encephalitis resemble flu, but have the properties of repeating after a while with renewed vigor. In the absence of qualified therapy, the virus progresses. In severe cases, it leads to insanity, paralysis, disability, death.

On a note!

Tick ​​bites are less dangerous for cows. The virus enters milk, but the period of viremia is much shorter than that of goats, so the frequency human diseases through cow's milk below.

Symptoms of encephalitis in goats

Tick ​​bites cause a local allergic reaction - redness, swelling, compaction. After some time, the skin is restored without special treatment. Symptoms of encephalitis are rarely bright. There is blood in the urine of the goat, there is a fever, paralysis of the hind and then forelimbs, convulsions. After a few days, recovery or complication ensues. It all depends on the strength of the animal's immunity.

In most cases, the disease is asymptomatic. The goat behaves as usual. Only appetite decreases slightly, the amount of milk decreases.

What to do in order not to get infected

To protect yourself, your family from a fatal disease, you can in an elementary way - to heat milk. Encephalitis virus dies at 60 degrees Celsius in 2 minutes. At temperature indicators within 37 ° С it is destroyed in 2 days. When boiling, it is destroyed in the first seconds. It is enough to bring the milk to a boil, immediately turn it off.

Other protection methods are to reduce the likelihood of being bitten by goat mites while on pasture.

How to protect a goat

To reduce the likelihood of bites, it is necessary to create adverse conditions for the habitat of pests. Grass is mowed, last year's hay is harvested, leaves are burned, dairy goats are grazed on special pastures, a regular inspection of wool, etc.

Stall Content

In areas where there is a massive distribution of ticks in the spring, the period of stall maintenance is extended. During this period, the grass is still small, the goat is uncomfortable to capture it, high humidity is the cause of intestinal disorders. When the greenery rises above 15 cm, dry, warm weather is established, the number of ticks is reduced, animals can be driven out to pasture.

On a note!

This method is not suitable for regions with constantly high humidity - forest, taiga terrain. Ticks attack goats from grass, leaves of bushes.

The right pasture selection

Whether goat mites bite, as often, depends on pasture selection. For the normal functioning of pests, increased humidity, the presence of fallen leaves is required. In the litter, ticks lay eggs, from tall grass, branches of shrubs, parasites climb onto the body of a goat.

On a note!

To prevent bites, it is necessary to graze animals away from deciduous forests, trees, thickets, fields with clover, alfalfa, rapeseed. On open lawns illuminated by the sun, ticks do not occur.

Extermination of parasites on the grass

The method is suitable for those cases when the goats are grazed in a limited area. IN tick activity period vegetation is treated with pesticides. Drugs destroy ticks, do not harm animals, do not get into milk.

It is necessary to carry out processing in dry, calm weather. The maximum properties of the preparations last 2 hours, then they dry out, are absorbed by plants, and protect the terrain for about 20 days. Efficiency is not affected by sunlight, rain. Goats are allowed to be released into the pasture after the preparation has dried.

Physical destruction of ticks on a goat

In the stall, you need to carefully examine the animal's hair or comb it with a special comb. Ticks for a long time just climb the wool in search of a suitable place for food. Then they suck on for 2-5 days. The virus enters the goat’s blood on the second day of the parasite’s stay under the skin. Regular examination will prevent a bite, tick suction, and the development of encephalitis.

Treatment of goats from ticks

To protect the animal from bites, itself from a terrible disease, you can use repellents. Special substances interact with skin lipids, remain valid for up to 30 days. When a tick hits the body of a goat, paralysis begins, it disappears. Another group of drugs repels pests by smell.

How to treat goats from ticks

There are several varieties of drugs with different mechanisms of action, but all of them protect the animal from bites of pests, tick-borne encephalitis virus.

Tick ​​Injection

The most popular drugs based on ivermectin. A subcutaneous injection is made in the calculation of 1 ml of funds per 50 kg of weight. Protects against mosquitoes, flealice horseflies, ticks, many other parasites. Contraindicated in pregnant females in the last 5 weeks, nursing animals.

Emulsions, aerosols

Common drugs with insecticidal activity.

• FOSA. Dichlorvos, Blotik, Diazinon. Goats are processed outdoors.The can is kept at a distance of 20 cm from the wool. Milk is allowed to drink the next day.
• Pyrethroids. Insecticides are used to treat goat hair and pasture. Before use, prepare a solution according to the instructions. The concentration is selected depending on the body weight of the animal. After processing goats, milk is allowed to be drunk after the second milking. The drugs are valid up to 1 month. Effective remedies - Tsifoks, Butox, Neo-Suspended.
• Fipronil insecticides. Drugs are intended for treating dogs, cats from ticks, but can be used to disinfect goats. Often used spray BARS. Active substances are localized in the sebaceous ducts of the skin, on the hair of an animal. Protect from ticks for 2 months.

Before using any chemical agent, you need to study the instructions, a list of contraindications. To achieve maximum effect, several methods of control and prevention are used at once.

Goat Mite Scabies

Infectious disease - scabies is provoked by ticks. Distinguish itchy scabies - parasites live in the upper layers of the epidermis, skin-eating - live on the body. The disease is characterized by severe itching, peeling of the skin, hair loss. Animals lose weight, eat poorly, do not sleep, milk yield decreases. Infect all nearby goats, people. Symptoms appear on the muzzle, stomach, back, and udder.

Treatment of scabies is carried out with special preparations, folk remedies - baking soda, green soap, ammonia, ash, tar, creosote, creolin. As well as an emulsion of benzyl benzoate, tar, sulfur ointment, Wilkinson. Treatment is repeated every 7 days until complete recovery.

You can drink milk with scabies of goats, there are no ticks. Infection occurs by contact. During the period of active use of milk medicine, you need to give up for a while.