Foot rot and other foot diseases of goat and sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil

Abstract

This paper reports the occurrence and epidemiology of outbreaks of foot rot and other foot diseases in goats and sheep in the semiarid region of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. Four farms were inspected for the presence of foot lesion in sheep and goats and for environmental conditions, general hygiene, pastures, and disease control measures. The prevalence of foot lesions was 19.41% (170/876) in sheep and 17.99% (52/289) in goats, ranging between 5.77% and 33.85% in different farms. Foot rot was the most common disease, affecting 12.1% of the animals examined (141/1165), but with signiϐicantly higher (p<0.05) prevalence in sheep (13.69%) than in goats (7.27%). The frequency of malignant foot rot was also signiϐicantly lower (p<0.05) in goats (9.53%) than in the sheep (40.83%). On one farm, Dorper sheep showed signiϐicantly higher (p<0.05) prevalence of foot rot (17.5%) than Santa Inês sheep (6.79%), and the number of digits affected was also higher in the former. Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum were isolated from cases of foot rot. White line disease was found in 3.95% of the animals, sole ulcers in 1.29%, foot abscess in 1.03% and hoof overgrowth in 0.5%. The high rainfall at the time of occurrence, grazing in wetlands, clay soils with poor drainage, presence of numerous stony grounds, closure of the ϐlocks in pens at night, and introduction of affected animals were considered predisposing factors for the occurrence of foot diseases.INDEX TERMS: Foot lesions, foot rot, foot abscess, small ruminants. RESUMO.-[Pododermatite infecciosa e outras doenças podais de caprinos e ovinos no semiárido Nordestino.]Este trabalho relata a ocorrência e aspectos epidemiológi-cos de surtos de pododermatite infecciosa e outras afecções podais em caprinos e ovinos no semiárido paraibano. As propriedades foram inspecionadas quanto à presença de problemas podais e aspectos relacionados às condições ambientais, higiene, locais de pastejo e medidas de controle utilizadas. Nos ovinos a prevalência de lesões podais foi de 19,41% (170/876) e nos caprinos de 17,99% (52/289), variando entre 5,77% e 33,85% nas diferentes propriedades. A pododermatite infecciosa foi a doença mais frequente acometendo 12,1% dos animais examinados (141/1165), sendo a prevalência nos ovinos (13,69%) signiϐicativamente maior (p<0,05) do que a nos caprinos (7,27%). A frequência de lesões malignas desta doença em caprinos (9,53%) foi, também, signiϐicativamente menor (p<0,05) do que nos ovinos (40,83%). Em uma das propriedades a prevalência de pododermatite infecciosa entre os ovinos Dorper (17,5%) foi signiϐicativamente maior do que a nos ovinos da raça Santa Inês (6,79 %), tendo os animais da primeira raça maior número de membros acometidos pela pododermatite infecciosa. Dichelobacter nodosus e Fusobacterium necrophorum foram isolados de casos de pododermatite infecciosa. A doença da linha branca foi constatada em 3,95% dos animais, a úlcera de sola em 1,29%, o

Clinical management of foot rot in goats: A case report of lameness

“…Depending on the degree of the invasion, deep rooted lesions can result to be contaminated by pyogenic bacteria which may cause foot abscess. The lesions observed in this case report was observed to have foul smell, which might be due to the activity of pyogenic bacteria (Aguiar et al, 2011). …”

Indicators to assess goat welfare on-farm in the semiarid region of Brazilian Northeast

“…Lameness: most reported lameness in goats occurs due to diseases in hooves caused by inadequate nutrition, environmental and anatomical factors (PUGH, 2002), and sickness such as Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE), sole ulcer, white line abscesses, sole abscesses and hoof overgrowth (NOGUEIRA et al, 2009;AGUIAR et al, 2011). ALENCAR et al (2010) cited hooves problems in small ruminants, associated with lameness, possibly due to pododermatitis, in farms (n=63, 43.2%) located in Pernambuco, Brazil.…”

Ovinocultura do Rio Grande do Sul: descrição do sistema produtivo e dos principais aspectos sanitários e reprodutivos

“…O agente principal da doença é a bactéria Dichelobacter nodosus, no entanto, para a ocorrên-cia da infecção deve existir uma ação sinérgica com a Fusobacterium necrophorum, a qual está presente no solo e fezes (Aguiar et al 2011). É uma infecção que atinge o espaço interdigital e o tecido córneo dos dígitos, tendo como principal sinal a manqueira, isso faz com que os animais apresentam dificuldade na alimentação e reprodução (Ribeiro 2007).…”