TABLE OF CONTENTS

M - Z

M

Maiden Doe – A young animal bred for the very first time.

Mange – Mange is an infectious skin disease of animals caused by mites, a tiny eight-legged creature related to spiders and tick, and results in hair loss, scabs, and itching.

Manure – Animal excrement frequently used as fertilizer for soil.

Markings – A pattern of marks or identifying marks on the animal’s coat.

Mastitis – An inflammation of the udder caused, normally, by a bacterial infection. The udder may appear hot, painful and hard. The affected may have a characteristic change from a normal milk secretion to a watery or yellow secretion.

McMasters Fecal Eggs Per Gram (EPG) Test – Using a McMasters slide to count the number of parasite eggs per gram for a fecal exam.

Meat Withholding – The period of time between medicating and slaughter.

Melatonin - A hormone derived from serotonin and secreted by the pineal gland that produces changes in the skin color and is important in regulating biorhythms.

Metritis – The inflammation of the uterus.

Milk Fever – Hypocalcaemia. A disorder characterized by abnormally low levels of calcium in the blood.

Milk Formula – There are many commercial milk-replacer formulas on the market. We use a home-made formula of whole milk, evaporated milk, and butter milk.

Milliliter (Ml) – Unit of volume equip to 1/1000th of a liter.

Minerals – While most commercial feeds contain all the vitamins and minerals goats require, feed can be supplemented by minerals in blocks, tubs, or loose. As a minimum, a mineral mix should contain vitamins A and D for general animal health and milk production, iodine to prevent gout, selenium for strong muscles and to prevent white muscle disease, calcium for bone development, phosphorus (must be in proportion to the calcium to prevent urinary calculi), iron for anemia, zinc to improve skin and hair condition.

Modified Live Virus Vaccine (MlV) – Modified-live vaccines provide stronger, longer-lasting, and more rapid protection than killed virus vaccines. They are normally less expensive but have a potential to become active and cause disease, especially in a patient with a weakened immune system.

Monensin – Medication found to be of value in preventing coccidiosis in goats at levels that also increase feed efficacy.

Monogastric – Animals with single compartmental stomachs; goats are not monogastric.

Mucous Membranes – The moist linings in the body passages containing mucus-secreting cells.

Multiparous – Used to describe an animal that normally gives birth to two or more offspring at one time or having more than two pregnancies.

Murmur – A fluttering sound, usually heard via a stethoscope, originating from the lungs, heart, or arteries. This may indicate disease or structural problems.

Mycotoxin – A poisonous substance produced by a fungus.

N

Nanny – A female goat.

Nanny Berries – Poop. Feces.

Naxcel – Off label for goats. Sterile Powder ceftiofur sodium broad-spectrum, injectable antibiotic for the treatment of respiratory infections

Necropsy – Autopsy. Examining a dead body to determine the cause and circumstances of death.

Nitrate Poisoning – When excessive nitrate accumulations occur due to abnormal conditions, such as during drought condition and high soil nitrate levels due to high rates of nitrogen fertilization, following a soaking rain toxic levels of nitrates accumulate in plants.

Non-Spermicidal Lubricant – A friction-reducing substance that will not kill viable sperm.

Nulliparous – Having never given birth to a living kid.

Nutri-Drench – According to Bovidr Laboratories, “Nutri-Drench is a natural, high energy source containing high vitamins, minerals, amino acids and glucose. These nutrients support life and are needed quickly to restore a non-functioning immune system.”

O

Omasum – The third part of the stomach of a ruminant between the abomasums and the reticulum.

Oocyst – A stage in the life of coccidia found in manure, the fertilized gamete (male or female cell with half the normal number of chromosomes that unites with another cell of the opposite sex in the process of sexual reproduction). of certain parasitic organisms (sporozoans) that is enclosed in a thick wall.

Oral (OP) – By mouth.

Orifices – An opening. When used with goats, normally refers to too many openings in the teats.

OTC (Over the Counter) – Drugs that do not require a prescription; they can be bought anywhere.

Ovary – The female reproductive organ that produces eggs (ovum).

Overbite – A bad alignment of the teeth in which the upper pad protrude too far over the lower teeth. Short underjaw.

Oxytocin – A hormone that controls lactation and reproductive phases of the goat.

P

Pain – An unpleasant physical discomfort – often acute discomfort.

Panacure – Off label for goats. A brand name for Fenbendazole. Treatment is necessary for 3 consecutive days. Treatment may require a second course depending on which parasite is being treated. It is used against roundworms, hookworms, and is also effective against Giardia and several species of lungworm and some flukes.

Parasites (Worms) – An animal that lives on or in another, usually larger, host organism in a way that harms or is of no advantage to the host

Porous – Females who have given birth at least once.

Parturient Paresis – Muscular weakness or partial inability to move caused by diseases of the nervous system occurring at the time of giving birth.

Parturition – Act of giving birth.

Pasteurization – Treatment of milk by heating it to destroy harmful bacteria, a process discovered by Louis Pasteur. Heating milk to 145 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes kills most bacteria. The process of pasteurization not only kills bacteria, but it also kills destroys nutrients and some essential vitamins.

Pedigree – Ancestry chart.

Penicillin G – Off label for goats. For use in the treatment of disease organisms susceptible to penicillin. Long-acting antibiotic indicated for treatment of bacterial infections.

Pepto Bismol – Off label for goats. An over-the-counter human drug manufactured by Procter & Gamble used to stop diarrhea and settle upset stomachs. (We use it mixed with Biomycin to stop scours.)

Percentage – The mathematical determination of the amount of Boer ancestry in the animal.

Pinkeye – Pinkeye, also known as conjunctivitis, is extremely contagious, spreading from goat to goat. Our first recommendation is to isolate any goat with pinkeye immediately! Pinkeye is caused by several organisms and can be transmitted by flies or dust. A goat with pinkeye will have a cloudy area in the center of the eye or will appear to have an ulcer on the cornea.

Placenta – An organ that develops in the uterus of pregnant mammals to supply oxygen and nourishment to the fetus through an umbilical cord.

Polio encephalitis/Polio encephalomalacia (Goat Polio) –A disturbance of the central nervous system caused by a thiamin deficiency. Symptoms include “star gazing”, and arched back with head thrown back over the shoulder, lack of appetite, and refusal to drink. Treatment consists of 200 to 500 mg of thiamin injected intravenously, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously. There is little chance to overdose with thiamin since it is water soluble and excess is eliminated by the kidneys. Dexamethasone may also be administered with the thiamine to reduce brain swelling.

Post Mortem – After death.

Postpartum – After birth.

Pregnancy Toxemia (Ketosis) – A condition caused by the sudden extra demand for energy by the fast-growing kids in the last few weeks of pregnancy. In meeting the nutritional needs of the kids, the doe will metabolize fat resources from her body to maintain pregnancy. Symptoms are depression, weak, lack of interest in food, poor muscle control, and poor balance. Many does will show a positive test for ketones bodies in the urine. Treatment with Magic will often save the live of the doe and kids.

Prepartum – Before birth.

Probios – On label for goats. A produce containing microorganisms beneficial to keep the rumen functioning. Any time we give an antibiotic that kills harmful bacteria, we administer a dose (5cc to 10cc) of “blue stuff” – Probios Gel – to replenish the good bacteria in the rumen.

Progeny – Offspring.

Prolificacy – Number of offspring actually produced by a doe. Fruitful.

Prostaglandin (PGF2A) – A substance that resembles a hormone/the unsaturated fatty acid found in all mammals that control smooth muscle contractions, blood pressure, body temperature, and inflammation.

Protein – Complex natural substance with a high molecular weight and a fibrous structure composed of amino acids linked by peptide bonds – present in all living things.

Protein Supplement – Adding additional protein, i.e., soybean meal, to regular diet.

Puberty – Boys reach puberty as early as 2 months of age having the ability to impregnate does. Does enter puberty at 8 months (normally).

Purebred – A high percentage Boer. With does the percentage must be 93% or higher (but less than 100%); with bucks the percentage must be 97% or higher (but less than 100%).

Purina Lamb/Kid Replacer – A milk substitute used with bottle babies.

PVC Trough – Poly Vinyl Chloride – a hard, plastic sold in hardware and building supply stores – can be cut in half and used for feeding.

Q

Quarantined – Isolated in order to prevent spread of disease or contain contagious or infections diseases.

R

Ration – The fixed and limited amount of food given or allocated.

Raw Milk – Milk that has not been pasteurized.

Recipient – The doe who is receiving the fertilized eggs.

Record Keeping – A method devised by each individual to tract all aspects of herd management. Record keeping enables the farmer to maintain administrative procedures such as registration, offspring, pedigrees, bloodlines, shows, medical treatments/ vaccinations, finances, and contacts.

Red Cell – A foul-tasting (from the reaction of our goats) beef peptone and liver, iron, copper, cobalt, vitamins A, B12, D, E, B-complex, used to replace natural red blood cells lost to anemia. Since this product reportedly does contain animal offal, we prefer to give our goats Geritol.

Registered – Enrolled with a breed association, having the owner’s name officially recorded along with a pedigree of the animal.

Registration Number – An identification number assigned by the breed association.

Rehydrate – Replacing fluids that have been lost from illness, fever or heat.

Rennet – A substance containing the enzyme rennin used to make cheese. It is from the 4th stomach and coagulates milk.

Reproduction Management – Hormones can be used to manipulate estrus synchronization in the doe so as many does as possible come into estrus when you want them to. External progesterone sources such as an implant or CIDR can be used to interrupt the doe's cycle. When the progesterone is removed, most does will come into heat within 24 hours.

Reproductive Health – The causes of poor reproduction in the goat herd often go unrecognized and unresolved, but can markedly reduce productivity. In order to detect reduced fertility and a corresponding low conception rate, a breeding soundness evaluation should be performed on herd sires prior to the breeding season. Semen quality and quantity should be analyzed by a trained technician.

Respiratory Rate (Breaths/Min) – The respiration in adults is 15-30 breaths per minute and in kids 20-40 breaths per minute.

Reticulum – The second (of four) stomachs in ruminants.

Revaccination – To vaccinate again.

Rigor Mortis – The stiffening of the body occurring after death. This is cause by the coagulation of protein in the muscles.

Ringworm –A fungal disease of the skin, scalp, or nails in which intensely itchy patches develop. Also known as “hot spots.”

Rotational Grazing – Moving the animals from one field to another to prevent overgrazing and to reduce infestation of parasites.

Roughage – Fiber.

Rumen – The first stomach of a ruminant. This is the part of the stomach where microorganisms bread down plant cellulose before the food is returned to the mouth as cud for additional chewing.

Rumen Contractions – A healthy goat has rumen contractions (motility) from 1-4 times per minute.

Rumensin – The trademarked name for Monensin which enables goats to obtain more energy from feed and improves feed efficiency in high energy feedlot rations and modulates feed intake.

Ruminant – A cud-chewing, hoofed mammal whose stomach has multiple chambers and who has an even number of toes.

Rumination – Regurgitating partially digested food to chew it again.

S

Salmonella – A bacteria found in the intestines known to cause gastroenteritis, food poisoning, and typhoid fever.

Scours – A medical term for diarrhea.

Scrapie – Usually a fatal disease affecting the nervous system of sheep and goats. It is marked by intense itching and the loss of muscular control.

Scrotal Circumference Parameters – Sperm production is year round with Boer bucks. The best forecaster of sperm production is testicular weight, and the best predictor of testicular weight in goat bucks is scrotal circumference. A special tape for measuring scrotal circumference gives a relatively accurate estimation of the buck's ability to produce semen. The scrotal circumference (at the widest point) should be measured, since this correlates with fertility and semen production. As a general rule, Boer bucks should measure 26 to 29 cm at 100 pounds. (Dairy bucks should measure 25 to 28 cm at 100 pounds.)

Selenium – A nonmetallic chemical element that occurs in several forms. Most of the US is selenium deficient. A baby goat selenium deficient cannot stand; this is knows as "white muscle disease."

Semen – A thick white fluid containing sperm.

Semen Evaluation – Testing the semen for viability.

Semen Tank – Also known as a Liquid Nitrogen Tank – the canister designed to hold the coolant which keeps the sperm frozen.

Semen Thawing Thermos – An insulated tool with built-in thermometer for cooling

Serving Capacity – Libido or sex drive. Bucks must be disease free, in good condition, and possess enough libido to pursue, mount, and service the doe herd. Normally the buck-to-doe ration should be between 1:25 to 1:50.

Shipping Fever – Respiratory disease usually accompanying movement of goats over long distances.

Side Effects – Expected or unexpected occurrences following medications.

Silage – Fodder made by storing green plant material where it is preserved by partial fermentation

Sire – The male parent.

Skin Tent – When giving a shot SQ, pull up skin behind the front knee making a tent.

SMZ Tablets – An antibacterial medicine to treat infections of the urinary tract, respiratory tract, small intestine, wounds, and coccidiosis.

Sore Feet – A condition caused by incorrect hoof trimming, foot scald, laminitis, or foot rot.

Soremouth – Soremouth, also called orf or contagious ecthyma, is a highly contagious virus of the Pox family. Symptoms, transmission, and treatment in goats is similar to symptoms, transmission, and treatment of chickenpox in human children. Young animals are the most susceptible to developing lesions around the lips, eyelids, nose, etc.; but adult does tend to have more violent outbreaks on their udder, teats, and feet. This disease is easily spread to people when they come in contact with infected goats with the infection normally centered on the hands or face.

South African Boer – A breed of goats, characterized by a red head and white body, originating in South Africa.

Speculum –An orifice opening instrument used in gynecological exams for spreading the vaginal walls.

Spermatozoan (Sperm) – The male reproductive cell with an oval head with a nucleus, a short neck, and a tail by which it moves to find and fertilize an ovum.

48% Soybean Meal – A high protein by-product of soybeans.

Stanchion – An upright frame in which the neck of the goat is confined – for milking or AI.

Sterile Saline Solution –A pure (free from living bacteria, solution of sodium chloride (salt) and distilled water.

Stethoscope – A medical instrument used for listening to breathing, heartbeats, and other sounds made by the body.

Stomach Worms – Blood-sucking parasites. Common stomach worms found in goats are the large stomach worm (Haemonchus contortus), the medium stomach worm (Ostertagia circumcincta or O. trifurcata), and the small stomach worm (Trichostrongylus axei). In Tennessee Haemonchus is the most prevalent.

Straw Cutter – A small device designed to snip the end off the straws before putting the straw into the AI gun.

Straw Tweezers – Long tweezers used to remove the frozen straws from the goblets inside the liquid nitrogen tank

Straws – The packaging system for storing semen is either 5 ml or 0.5 ml plastic straws. Semen is diluted to the desired concentration and the straws are filled and labeled as part of the collecting process.

Stress - Something that causes mental or emotional strain.

Subcutaneously (SQ) – Giving a shot under the skin.

Superovulation – Production of a large number of eggs at one time.

Swelling of Joints – A common symptom of CAE. An increase in size of the joint typically caused by injury, infection, or disease.

Synchronization – Getting does to come into estrus (cycle) at the same time. This is a very important management technique when doing an embryo transfer or if you need to program does to use as teases at a buck collection.

Systemic Disease – Physiology affecting the whole body as distinct from having a local effect.

T

Tapeworms – A flatworm with a long ribbon-shaped segmented body that exists in many varieties and lives mainly as a parasite in the gut of vertebrate animals

Tattoos – Markings on the skin (for goats either in the ears or on the tail web) providing identification.

TDN – The total digestible nutrients in feed. This is one of four methods of determining the amount of energy in feed.

Teats – The body part of the doe through which milk is excreted for the nourishment of kids.

Temperature – Body heat. The normal temperature of a goat is 102-104 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tetanus – An infectious disease contacted through an open sore or wound. The disease causes severe muscle spasms, especially around the neck and jaw.

Tetanus Antitoxin – A treatment for tetanus that takes effect almost immediately after the injection and only stays in the system for up to 10 days.

Tetanus Toxoid – A highly purified and concentrated vaccine to provide the strongest possible protection against tetanus.

Tetracycline – An antibiotic made from chlortetracydine.

TGPA – Tennessee Goat Producers Association.

Thiamin – Vitamin B-1. A thiamine deficiency can cause goat polio (Polio encephalitis, Polio Encephalomalcia, PEM). Thiamine is a prescription drug but can be found in lesser strength in Vitamin B Complex (Fortified Vitamin B Complex has an even greater thiamine strength.) Thiamin enhances circulation, helps with blood formation, and helps with the metabolism of carbohydrates.

Trace Minerals (TM) – Those required in small amounts.

Transcervical Artificial Insemination – Penetrating the rings of the cervix to deposit semen thus establishing pregnancy.

TSC – Tractor Supply Company.

Tylosin – Off label for goats. A broad spectrum antibiotic with good anti-bacterial activity against most pathogenic organism such as gram positive bacterium, some gram negative bacterium and is the drug of choice against infections caused by mycoplasma.

U

Under Bite – A bad alignment of the teeth in which the lower front teeth protrude too far over the upper pad. Long underjaw.

Urinary Calculi – A stone in the urinary track – extremely painful for a buck. The condition is caused by the phosphate crystals collecting in the bladder and passing into the narrow penis/the urethra, causing obstruction and blockage to urine flow.

USBGA – US Boer Goat Association.

Uterus – A part of the female reproductive tract where the embryo is nourished and develops before birth.

V

Vaccinations – An inoculation with a vaccine to produce immunity. Protect against disease by introducing a serum, antigen, or weakened form of the disease into the body to create immunity.

Vaccines – Medicine contained weakened or dead microbes that cause a particular disease. This inoculation is administered to stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the disease.

Vaginal Prolapse – The vagina protrudes during late pregnancy. This is a genetic problem, and does who have vaginal prolapses should be culled as well as their female offspring.

Valbazen – Off label for goats. This is a broad spectrum anthelmintic effective in the removal and control of the following internal parasites: liver flukes, heads and segments of tapeworms, stomach worms, brown stomach worms, barber pole worms, small stomach worms, intestinal worms, thread-neck intestinal and small intestinal worms, hookworms, and lungworms. Do not use if the doe is pregnant; this drug is associated with abortions and/or birth defects if used within the first 60 days of gestation. With cattle and sheep there is a 27 day slaughter withdrawal.

Vetwrap – A self adhesive support bandage.

Vitamin B – See Thiamine.

W

Wean – To begin feeding a young kid food other than its mother's milk; to remove from the mother at weaning age.

Weaning Age – The age does quit allowing their offspring to nurse; the age the owner separates the offspring from the mother. (We recommend weaning bucks at 3 months when they are capable of breeding their dam.)

Weaning Weight –What the animal weighs when separated from its mother.

Website – An important marketing tool.

Wether – A male goat who was castrated before becoming sexually mature; unable to breed.

White Muscle Disease – Selenium deficiency causes damage to muscle tissue and gives muscles a whitish appearance. Both skeletal muscles (legs and back) and non-skeletal muscles (heart) may be affected with newborns having difficulty walking and/or nursing. Another symptom is respiratory distress.

Whole Corn – Shelled, not crushed, corn kernels is classified as a grain and as dry matter.

Withdrawal Time – The amount of time one must wait after giving a drug to an animal before that animal can be slaughtered for meat/human consumption.

Working Dog – A dog kept in order to herd, guard, or guide.

Worms – Parasites. An infestation of parasites affecting the intestines or others parts of the body.

X

Y

Yearlings – Goats between one and two years of age.

Z

Zoonosis – A disease goats (vertebrate animals) pass to other animals (humans).

Zygote – A fertilized ovum (egg).

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