Abstract:
An outbreaks of a syndrome of unknown etiology associated with the feeding of moldy maize grain and green fodder to the male goat in a herd of 2000 meant for sale for Dashahara festival during the month of October-2008 in Kathmandu valley of which 52 goats suddenly became ill with symptoms of anorexia, apathy, diarrhea and ruminal stasis .On clinical examination based on history these goats were provisionally diagnosed as sudden illness due to moldy corn/fodder poisoning were treated with liquid Toxol and bio-sel-e and liquid zist of which 34 male goat died. Necrosis of the fore stomach mucosa was the most characteristic gross pathological change. Clinical pathological findings included mild focal erosions to severe, diffuse, coagulative necrosis of the mucosa in the rumen, reticulum and omasum and congestion and hemorrhages in the abomasum.Liver with shrunken appearance pale to yellowish discoloration with bile filled distended bladder pin point hemorrhage in kidney, small intestine with excessive mucus. On mycological and microbiological examination of tissue samples from post-mortem of dead goat on respective medium revealed the growth of fungal pathogens like Aspergillus and Penicillium spp with E.coli.These results provide circumstantial evidence that feeding of moldy maize grain and green fodder leaves infected by Penicillium and Aspergillus spp may cause outbreaks of a systemic Mycosis in these goats.
Key words:
Moldy maize, green fodder,Penicillium,Aspergillus Spp,Fungus, Male Goat,Kathmandu valley,Dashahara.Toxol,zist.

Background:
During the Dashahara festival of year 2008 about 2000 male goats intended to supplied by Nepal Food Corporation to the customers in Kathmandu valley were being purchased from mid-western region of Nepal. In lirage these goats were being fed exclusively with whole maize grains and green fodder leaves. On clinical examination based on history these goats were provisionally diagnosed as sudden illness due to moldy corn/fodder poisoning were treated with liquid Toxol and bio-sel-e and liquid zist of which 34 male goat died were presented to Central Veterinary Laboratory Tripureshwor Kathmandu Nepal for investigation of cause of illness.

Material and Method:

1: Clinical examination of goats in lairage.
All goats present in lairage for sale in Nepal Food Corporation’s compound on clinical examination were found having symptoms like Anorexia, Ataxia, Diarrhea, Dullness, Dysmetria, Generalized weakness, similar to reported by Dr. Maurice E. White 2008, , and ruminal stasis, Schneider DJ, Marasas WF, Collett MG, van der Westhuizen GC, 1985. R. W. Medd, G. M. Murray and D. I. Pickering,2008. : L. W. Whitlow and W. M. Hagler, Jr.2008.
2: Post-Mortem Examination of dead goats.
On Post-Mortem examination of all 6 male dead presented to Central Veterinary Laboratory Tripureshwor ,Kathmandu revealed the lesions which included mild focal erosions to severe, diffuse, coagulative necrosis of the mucosa in the rumen, reticulum and omasum and congestion and hemorrhages in the abomasum.Liver with shrunken appearance pale to yellowish discoloration with bile filled distended bladder pin point hemorrhage in kidney, small intestine with excessive mucus similar to lesions experimentally induced by Schneider DJ, Marasas WF, Collett MG, van der Westhuizen GC, 1985,and reported by DhamaK, ChauhanR S1,*, MahendranMahesh, SinghKP1, TelangAG1, SinghalLokesh1, TomarSimmi2 2007, R. W. Medd, G. M. Murray and D. I. Pickering,2008; Hussein S. Hussein, and Jeffrey M. Brasel 2001.
3: Microbial/Mycobial Culture examination of Post-Mortem Tissue samples.

On mycological and microbiological examination of tissue samples from post-mortem of dead goat on respective medium revealed the growth of fungal pathogens like Aspergillus and Penicillium spp with E.coli similar to the findings of Karki et.al.2008 C. Wendell Horne 2008, www.springerlink.com/index/q7g038v8x3m10026.pdf 2008 Sabreen, M. S. and Zaky, Z. M.* 2001 .Where as all nasal and rectal swabs from sick and dead animals tested for PPR with penside test turn out to be negative.
Result and Discussion:
As during warm humid climate of tropics and subtropics favors growth of mold and fungus in feed grains and fodder especially after heavy monsoon rain feeding of exclusively such grain to livestock and poultry seems to cause the detrimental effect in the health these animals. As in this investigation clinical signs of anorexia, apathy, diarrhea and ruminal stasis and Clinical pathological findings included mild focal erosions to severe, diffuse, coagulative necrosis of the mucosa in the rumen, reticulum and omasum and congestion and hemorrhages in the abomasum.Liver with shrunken appearance pale to yellowish discoloration with bile filled distended bladder pin point hemorrhage in kidney, small intestine with excessive mucus. On mycological and microbiological examination of tissue samples from post-mortem of dead goat on respective medium revealed the growth of fungal pathogens like Aspergillus and Penicillium spp with E.coli.These results provide circumstantial evidence that feeding of moldy maize grain and green fodder leaves infected by Penicillium and Aspergillus spp may have caused this outbreaks of a systemic Mycosis in these goats need to be thoroughly investigated in field areas from where these goats were bought.
References:
1: Schneider DJ, Marasas WF, Collett MG, van der Westhuizen GC. An experimental mycotoxicosis in sheep and goats caused by Drechslera campanulata, a fungal pathogen of green oats. Onderstepoort J Vet Res. 1985 Jun;52(2):93-100. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4047622 -:-Retrived on 13 october 2008

2;R. W. Medd, G. M. Murray and D. I. Pickering :Review of the epidemiology and economic importance of Pyrenophora semeniperda. Australasian Plant Pathology 32(4) 539 – 550. www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=AP03059.pdf:-Retrived on 13 october 2008

3: DhamaK, ChauhanR S1,*, MahendranMahesh, SinghKP1, TelangAG1, SinghalLokesh1, TomarSimmi2 Aflatoxins-hazard to livestock and poultry production: A review Journal of Immunology & Immunopathology Year : 2007, Volume : 9, Issue : 1 and 2. Division of Pathology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243122 (UP), INDIA. 1CADRAD, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243122 (UP), INDIA. 2Division of Animal Sciences, Central Agricultural Research Institute(CARI), Port Blair, A&N Islands, INDIA. indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:jii&volume=9&issue=1and2&article=001&type=pdf –:-Retrived on 13 october 2008

4: outbreaks called “moldy corn toxicosis,” “poultry hemorrhagic syndrome, … Adult cattle, sheep, and goats are relatively resistant to the acute form of the …www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/212202.htm :-Retrived on 13 october 2008

5: C. Wendell Horne, MYCOTOXINS IN FEED AND FOOD-PRODUCING CROPS Associate Department Head and Extension Program Leader for Plant Pathology and Microbiology andCommittiChairmanpublications.tamu.edu/publications/Corn/B-1279 Mycotoxins.pdf:-Retrived on 13 october 2008

6: L. W. Whitlow and W. M. Hagler, Jr. Mold and Mycotoxin Issues in Dairy Cattle: Effects, Prevention and treatment www.ces.ncsu.edu/disaster/drought/Mycotoxin-Review.pdf:-Retrived on 13 october 2008

7: L. W. Whitlow, Department of Animal Science and W. M. Hagler, Jr., Mycotoxin Contamination of Feedstuffs – An Additional Stress Factor for Dairy Cattle Department of Poultry Science North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC
www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/dairy/mycoto~1.pdf :-Retrived on 13 october 2008

8: Dr. Maurice E. White: AFLATOXIN TOXICITY, AFLATOXICOSIS IN SHEEP AND GOATS : A Diagnostic Support System for Veterinary Medicine Cause Page: 2008 Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. :-Retrived on 13 october 2008

9:Aspergillus/aspergillosiswebsite;www.aspergillus.org.uk/secure/veterinary/chap1mammalian.htm – 24k -:-Retrived on 13 october 2008

10: Meat and meat products: Other animals carrying E. coli O157 include sheep, goats, wild deer, pigs, …… by Penicillium, Rhizopus, and Aspergillus spp. (ICMSF, 1980b). www.springerlink.com/index/q7g038v8x3m10026.pdf:-Retrived on 13 october 2008

11: Sabreen, M. S. and Zaky, Z. M.* Incidence of Aflatoxigenic Moulds and Aflatoxins in Cheeses. Food Hygiene Dept., and *Forensic Med. & Toxicology Dept., Fac. of Vet.Med., Assiut Univ. BULLETIN : Its Cong of Food Hygiene & Human Health, 6-8 February 2001 Dept. of FoodHygiene, Fac. Vet. Med., Assiut. www.aun.edu.eg/env_enc/ee2002/1-50_n_.PDF:-Retrived on 13 october 2008
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12: Hussein S. Hussein, and Jeffrey M. Brasel; Toxicity, metabolism, and impact of mycotoxins on humans and animals School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nevada-Reno, Mail Stop 202, Reno, NV 89557, USA Received 16 April 2001; accepted 10 July 2001. Available online 19 September 2001.
linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0300483X01004711. :-Retrived on 13 october 2008

13: Kedar Karki and Purnima Manandhar: Clinical-Epidemiological Investigation of Mouldy Corn Poisoning due to Penicillium spp. in mules at Udayapur District, Nepal: Veterinary World pp 107-110 vol. 1 no. 4 April 2oo8

Acknowledgment:

We would like to thank Dr.Samjhana Panday of Central Veterinary Hospital Tripureshwor, Kathmandu for providining early indication of problem. Thanks are due to Mr. Bal Bahadur Kunwar Mr. Tek Bahadur Air Senior Vet. Technician and Mr.Bhimsen Adhikari Vet. Technician of Microbioly Unit,Mr Purna Maharajan Vet Technician of Central Veterinary Laboratory for doing the microbiology and post-mortem works and office assistant Mr. Chandra Bahadur Rana for his tireless effort in handling the carcass during post-mortem work .

WATER REQUIREMENTS OF DESERT  GOATs

BY

PROF GHULAM MOHYUDDIN WANI

:

Goats and sheep consumed  water at the rate of  8% of their body weight per day  under the scrarecity conditions. They have the capacity to maintain itself at  4% body weight per day. Evaporation loss was reduced from 6% of body weight per day to about 3% by restricting water intake. Reduced water intake does not effect temperature regulation

Water is obviously important for goats, and the amount required depends on that needed for the maintenance of normal water balance and to provide for satisfactory levels of production. The normal body water content of the goat varies with age, amount of fat in the body, and environmental temperatures. It would be expected to exceed 60 percent of the body weight and 75 percent of the nonbony tissues. Researchers  have shown that some goats, such as the black Bedouin of the Negev and Sinai deserts, have the capacity to store as much as 76 percent of their body weight. Water requirements may be met by free water consumption, but other important sources include water contained in the feed ingested and metabolic water resulting from oxidation of energy sources. Major water losses include those from urine, lactation, evaporation, and perspiration.

.They also have the ability to conserve water by reducing losses in urine and feces. In many environments the water intake through forage may be high relative to other species because of their  browse which consists maily of wtery tissue and flowering parts of the plant for this quality they are often critisized by foresters as damagingg species.However this controversy has endede (WANI,2002). The result is that goats are less dependent on free water sources than other domestic species, but do not equal certain wild animal species in this respect.DEER AND STAGE AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS HAS MUCH MORE WATER TOLERENCE AND CONSERVING CAPABILITY THAN THE GOAT.

Factors affecting the f water intake of goats are lactation STAGE,, environmental temperature, water content of forage consumed, amount of exercise,  salt and mineral content of the diet. Therefore, the daily range of free water dintake may be from zero to several liters. When feeding on dry forages and when water is lacking, the efficiency of reproduction will suffer (Brown and Lynch, 1972; Lynch et al., 1972). Suboptimum water intake will result initially in reduced feed intake, then reduced performance and gradual starvation. Acute problems result when goats are unable to maintain water balance or control body temperature.

Goats are often more sensitive and reluctant than other species to drink from foul-tasting water sources. If they are forced to drink poor quality water, the result may be infection or undesirable mineral intake. Also, in many parts of the world goats drink from impounded water, and entrapment (bogging in mud) can be a real hazard, especially with Angoras.Our experiences at central goat institute of makhdoom,india shows goats are both selective browsers and drinkers(WATER i mean)

Goats are among the most efficient  users of water, after  the camel in the low rate of water turnover per unit of body weight (Maloiy and Taylor, 1971; Macfarlane and Howard, 1972). Goats appear to be less subject to high temperature stress than other species.

They  have the ability to conserve water by reducing losses in urine and feces. In many environments the water intake through forage may be high relative to other species because of their ability or willingness to browse. The result is that goats are less dependent on free water sources than other domestic species, but do not equal certain wild animal species in this respect.

Factors affecting the free water intake of goats are lactation level, environmental temperature, water content of forage consumed, amount of exercise, and salt and mineral content of the diet. Therefore, the daily range of free water intake may be from zero to several liters. When feeding on dry forages and when water is lacking, the efficiency of reproduction will suffer (Brown and Lynch, 1972; Lynch et al., 1972). Suboptimum water intake will result initially in reduced feed intake, then reduced performance and gradual starvation. Acute problems result when goats are unable to maintain water balance or control body temperature.

.

Boer goat (BG) kids and 16 South African Mutton merino (MM) wether lambs were investigated.BY A FEW RESEARCHERS CITED IN THE TEXT . Two pelleted diets  with either a low or a high metabolisable energy level were fed individually, ad libitum for 56 days. The BG had a 49% lower (P<0.01) water intake per kilogram mass gain than the MM on both the high and low energy diets. Both species had a lower (P<0.01) intake on the high than on the low energy diet. , the BG had a daily water intake of only 171 ml kg?0.75 compared to the 302 ml kg?0.75 of the MM.

Most producers are aware that they should quarantine new animals brought from outside the ranch property to protect their goats and their farm goats from whatever diseases the new animals might be carrying. On the other hand, the reverse is just as true: newly introduced goats need to protect from organisms present on the ranch to which they have never had their immune systems previously exposed. Make out that these goats are on a new property in a changed atmosphere and often in a much different climate from which they had been previously adapted for living.

Arrange a pen and shelter sized to accommodate the producer’s anticipated needs and locate it away from pens and pastures where healthy animal regularly kept. The pen should be large enough to provide space for proper exercise and should have at least a three-sided shelter with roof to protect the new goats and kid goats from bad weather. Nearby but not within this pen/shelter area, there should be several smaller gated pens and sheds where sick and/or contagious animals can confine for observation and treatment. Put a shallow plastic cat-litter pan and a gallon of bleach outside each pen and require persons entering and exiting to wet the soles of their shoes in the bleach. The producer and all other persons handling these goats and farm goats should consider using disposable gloves.

New and/or ill goats should keep in right parts of these “sick pens.” Goats new to the goat farm or the ranch should quarantined for a minimum of four weeks, during which time they should be deformed, vaccinated, and otherwise examined, based upon the producer’s herd management practices. If blood testing for exact diseases is part of the program, do it while the goats are in quarantine. If the tests return positive and the new goats are already running with the main herd, exposure to disease has probably already occurred.

Offering breeding services on the ranch is a way for infectivity. Many decisions must make and agreements place into writing before the first goat arrives on the servicing ranch. Participating in goat dealer or goat seller shows is a difficult situation with regard to disease. At the very minimum, sick goats and ill people should not attend shows and should not agree to participate. If they are, leave immediately; do not even unload your animals. The health of your goats is much more essential than a forfeited entry fee or a winning ribbon. Visitors, relatives, children, pets, and even the producer can effortlessly bring to the ranch infectious bacteria, viruses, and other organisms without ever realizing it. With a shallow plastic cat-litter pan and a bottle of bleach, the producer should have all visitors step through the solution. This is the very minimum protective action that goat farmers should take. If the producer knows that visitors or goat dealers have had direct access to goats from outside the ranch, then those folks should asked to change clothes and shoes before they enter your property. A visit by kids to the 4H hangar is a good source of contamination — a truth that probably never crosses peoples’ minds.