Goat Disease Diagnostic Testing
Caprine Arthritis & Encephalitis (CAE)
Caprine arthritis and encephalitis (CAE) is an untreatable viral disease of goats that can cause debilitating lameness, progressive paralysis, weight loss, and hard udders. Only 10-20% of goats infected with the virus will show these clinical signs while the remaining 80-90% of infected goats can shed the virus and contribute to the spread of the disease even though they do not exhibit any symptoms. This allows the disease to continue to perpetuate, undetected, in the herd, leading to loss of profits via increased culling, increased replacement costs, and decreased production. Additional information can be found here.
Cost to test: $7.00
Test day: Thursday
Sample Collection & Submission
Caseous Lymphadenitis
Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is a chronic disease of sheep and goats that is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. This bacteria can survive in the environment for months to years, even in direct sunlight.
CL is characterized by the development of abscesses in lymph nodes and internal organs. It manifests itself in two different forms - external and internal.
The external form is more common in goats and most commonly results in swollen lymph nodes around the lower jaw, shoulders, and/or the hind knee. However, other lymph nodes may be involved. The exudate from these abscesses is often very thick.
The internal form of CL results in internal abscesses filled with thick exudate. However, these abscesses can involve both lymph nodes and internal organs. Of the organs, the lungs are most commonly involved, but the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system may also be affected. As a result, the symptoms associated with the internal form of CL include nonspecific weight loss, decreased production, chronic cough, and irregular breathing. Consequently, animals are often culled prematurely, increasing replacement costs and decreasing profitability. Additional information can be found here.
Cost to test: $9.00
Test day: Wednesday
Sample Collection & Submission
Johne's Disease
Johne's disease is a chronic intestinal disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. This bacteria is very hardy and persists in soil and water for prolonged periods of time. It is most commonly transmitted via the fecal-oral route (i.e. an uninfected animal ingests feces from an infected animal). Infection often results in a chronic inflammatory response leading to a thickening of the intestinal lining over an extended period of time (years). As a result, the animal is not able to absorb nutrients and water, leading to diarrhea and loss of body condition. Additionally, it can also lead to a decreased red blood cell count and low blood protein concentrations. These clinical signs may be exacerbated by extreme parasitism, which may initially mask the presence of Johne's disease. This disease also often results in premature culling and increased replacement costs. Additional information can be found here.
Cost to test: $7.00
Test day: Monday
Sample Collection & Submission
BioPRYN Pregnancy Testing
BioPRYN is the first and leading protein-based blood pregnancy test for sheep, goats, cattle and other ruminant animals. BioPRYN accurately measures Pregnancy Specific Protein B (PSPB), a protein produced only by the placenta of a living fetus. BioPRYN can be applied to all sheep and goats as early as 30 days after breeding. BioPRYN is a proven, accurate, convenient, and cost-effective method for identifying open animals, enabling you to confidently manage your herd or flock.
BioPRYN testing requires around 2 cc's of blood. This blood sample can then be shipped to, or dropped off at, Apogee Animal Health, Inc. Testing is performed on Tuesdays and Fridays with results reported on the next business day. Additional information can be found here.
Cost to test: $6.00
Test day: Tuesday and Friday
Sample Collection & Submission