Ketosis is a non-communicable disease that can seriously affect the milk production of goats. The outcome of the disease directly depends on careful attention to animals, compliance with feeding rules and timely treatment.
Description of the disease
Ketosis is a dangerous disease, accompanied by a violation of metabolic processes. Failure in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates leads to the accumulation of ketone bodies literally throughout the body. This toxic metabolic product, formed in the liver, spreads through the tissues and systems in the body.
The content of carbon dioxide is determined by the rate of progression of the disease, therefore, in the analysis, alkaline indicators can be both normal and reduced.
Ketones that accumulate in the milk of animals, in their blood and urine, worsen the general condition of the body and the work of internal organs. In animals with ketosis, the liver, heart, kidneys, and other organs do not work well.
The tendency to ketosis is observed in animals:
- overweight;
- deficient in sunlight;
- pregnant and lactating;
- few moving.
The stages of ketosis
To differentiate the degree of ketosis, two stages of the disease are distinguished:
- Primary This is a more common option. The condition is accompanied by a metabolic disorder and a lack of light carbohydrates during lactation.
- Secondary This stage is less common. It is associated with the appearance of ketone bodies due to serious damage to internal organs - intestinal inflammation, maternal paresis, tympanum, and also due to feed intoxication.
The causes of the disease
The root cause of ketosis lies in the errors of feeding milked goats. The problem is rare in small milk animals. There are three main causes of ketosis:
- low energy feed;
- a large amount of protein in the diet;
- feed containing large amounts of butyric acid - for example, improperly prepared silage.
It is impossible to clearly determine the cause of acetonemia, since it can occur when there is a lack of energy, and when there is an excess of it, caused by the predominance of concentrated feed in the diet. The abundance of concentrates and hay deficiency cause the death of the microflora of the scar - this increases the lack of energy and disrupts metabolic processes. The situation is aggravated with large milk yield, because in order to give 1 liter of milk, the goat's body spends up to 50 g of glucose.
Additional factors for the development of ketosis:
- Lack of vitamins and minerals. For lactating goats, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, cobalt are especially important. These elements are responsible for the development of microflora in the digestive tract of the animal.
- Inconsistency of the diet with the physiological state of the goat. During lactation, she needs much more energy. It is necessary to increase the proportion of concentrates. But here you should maintain the norm, since the high protein content causes a lack of energy.
Primary signs and symptoms of ketosis in goats
Ketosis is a sluggish pathology. The disease flows for a long time without symptoms, since the body of the animal at first compensates for the problem. But structural changes are imperceptibly taking place literally in all body systems.
The symptomatology of the disease depends on the duration of the disease and a complex of negative factors. The main symptoms of ketosis that occur in the first phase of the disease:
- overexcitation;
- loud bleating;
- negative reaction to tactile contact;
- aggression.
Gradually, excitement is replaced by increasing oppression.
In a chronic course, the clinical picture is blurry. In a sick animal observed:
- lethargy and drowsiness;
- unwillingness to move;
- lack of appetite;
- tarnishing of wool and hoofed horn;
- decrease in milk yield;
- enlarged liver - the right side even becomes an eye larger than the left;
- alternating constipation and diarrhea;
- rapid breathing;
- irregular chewing gum;
- tachycardia.
You can understand that the animal has developed ketosis by the pungent smell of acetone - it smells of milk and other products of its vital activity - feces, urine.
More information about other goat diseases can be found here.
Diagnostics
At the first sign of ketosis, a goat should be shown to a veterinarian. Depending on the stage of the disease, clinical signs may be observed that make it possible to diagnose:
- pancreatic hypotension;
- atony;
- low body temperature;
- enlarged liver;
- kidney and heart dystrophy;
- cardiovascular failure.
In a chronic course, diagnosis is difficult - the abundance of symptoms observed in this condition confuse inexperienced goats breeders. In this case, blood tests will help - you can find ketone bodies in it.
The presence of ketones in the blood causes a decrease in the content of proteins, glucose and hemoglobin. If the liver and other organs are involved in the pathological process, ketonemia is often absent, and more time is spent on diagnosis - the symptoms are similar to ordinary poisoning.
How to cure an animal?
Ketosis is dangerous, so you can not hesitate with treatment. It is not recommended to treat the animal without the participation of a veterinarian - clear instructions, prescriptions and dosages are necessary. In parallel, two treatment methods are used.
Drug treatment
The first thing to do with ketosis:
- bring blood sugar to normal values;
- normalize the endocrine system;
- normalize acid-base balance;
- to normalize all indicators whose failure occurred due to ketosis.
Treatment of the animal is carried out using drugs:
- insulin (per 1 kg of weight - 0.5 units);
- glucose 40% solution (per 1 kg of weight 0.1 mg);
- hydrocortisone (per 1 kg of weight 0.1 mg);
- adrenocorticotropic hormone (300 units);
- Sharabrin's liquid A / B;
- sodium lactate;
- vitamins A, E;
- complex vitamins and minerals;
- choline chloride;
- sodium propionate.
With aggressive behavior, the animal is prescribed a sedative. With the addition of heart failure - appropriate drugs to strengthen the work of the heart. Medications are prescribed in accordance with the symptoms.
To reduce the acidity of the rumen and other parts of the stomach, the animal is given a solution of baking soda. But it can also be given dry - adding to the feed. Thawing soda lasts 2-3 weeks. The animal is given 15-20 g of soda per day.
Diet adjustment
To cure ketosis, medications alone are not enough, you must adjust the diet of the animal. Priority Measures:
- Bringing protein and energy consumption to a norm corresponding to current physiology;
- the basis of nutrition should be hay and hay;
- norms of concentrates and root crops are reduced - their consumption should become moderate;
- feeding silos, bagasse, spoiled and poor-quality feed is prohibited.
Easily digestible carbohydrates are introduced into the diet of goats, giving root crops. Feeding sick animals should be balanced so that they receive enough energy to fight ketosis.
During treatment, animals are examined every five days. Based on the obtained analyzes, drug treatment and diet are adjusted.
Predictions and terms of treatment
Correctly approaching treatment, and following all the instructions of the veterinarian, you can cure the animal in 1-2 months. In severe forms of ketosis, the treatment is delayed up to 4 months.
Typically, ketosis is safely treated. If you do not ignore the disease, it rarely ends with the death of the animal. After the illness, the goats are weakened, they need increased care.
Complications and danger of the disease
Due to the long asymptomatic course and the chronic form of the disease, many goat owners miss the moment when the animal can be helped, avoiding serious health complications. The danger of ketosis lies in the irreversible damage to internal organs - if the heart, liver, kidneys are affected, it will be impossible to return the animal to the system. Such a goat will never regain its former milk production.
Prevention methods
Prevention measures aimed at preventing ketosis in goats:
- The diet is controlled - it must comply with physiological standards for the content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
- More hay and grass. Animals are not given chemical factory mixes.
- Glucose and mineral supplements are periodically introduced into the diet.
- Give protein 100 g per 1 feed unit.
- Delivery of only fresh feed.
- Unlimited access to fresh water.
It is also important to closely monitor the behavior of goats, to monitor their milk production. Animals must actively move and spend a lot of time in the air.
Ketosis is a treatable disease that becomes dangerous only if untreated. In order not to lose highly productive goats, their owner should be extremely attentive and patient - treatment takes time.
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Russia. City Novosibirsk
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