Potential disease agents in domestic goats and relevance to bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) management

Abstract

Domestic goats are raised for meat, milk and hair production, in herds for rangeland weed control, and as pack animals. Domestic sheep, goats and wild bighorn sheep are all susceptible to a multifactorial pneumonia. We sampled 43 herd goats from 7 herds and 48 pack goats from 11 herds for viral and bacterial serology, parasitology, and Pasteurellaceae microbiology. The goats in this study were in generally good health, although most goats did harbor various pathogens and parasites including several bacteria, specifically Pasteurellaceae, which have been associated with pneumonia in free-ranging bighorn sheep. It is not known if domestic goats can transmit the Pasteurellaceae or other pathogens found in this study readily to wild bighorn sheep. However, due the possibility of transmission, domestic goats in areas in or near bighorn sheep habitat should be managed to minimize the risk of spreading disease agents to bighorn sheep.

Evaluating the transmission dynamics and host competency of aoudad (Ammotragus lervia) experimentally infected with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and leukotoxigenic Pasteurellaceae

“…M . ovipneumoniae carriage and shedding capacity are strain specific in many Caprinae [ 24 , 25 ]. Under current knowledge, the presence of different M .…”

“…Under current knowledge, the presence of different M . ovipneumoniae strains between treatment groups could cause significant differences in transmissibility, clinical severity, and pathology in Caprinae members [ 24 , 25 ]. Additionally, we were unable to quantify the M .…”

“…However, the high rate (63%) of mixed culture results pre-inoculation potentially biased our estimation of pre-inoculation Pasteurellaceae presence and composition via culture, isolation, and species identification by MALDI. Biberstinia trehalosi and Mannheimia haemolytica are both potentially leukotoxigenic, but the latter is thought to carry the leukotoxin-A gene more frequently [ 25 ]. M .…”

“…Healthy BHS can contract M . ovipneumoniae from infected domestic goats [ 24 , 25 ] ( Capra aegagrus hircus ), other BHS, mountain goats [ 26 ] ( Oreamnos americanus ), and domestic sheep [ 27 ] (DS; Ovis aries ), but the potential for AD to serve as a reservoir for M . ovipneumoniae and other BHS respiratory pathogens is unknown.…”

Flock level seroprevalence of and risk factors for parainfluenza type 3 virus in small ruminants in northern Jordan

“…Although the disease is well known it is not commonly identified in terms of cause. This is particularly due to its non-fatal character, which leads to an incomplete examination of early cases [4]. Chlamydia, parainfluenza virus type 3 (PI3) virus, adenovirus, a respiratory syncytial virus, reovirus, and mycoplasmas are usually nominated as the cause [5].…”