Health evaluation in the native Garfagnina goat

Abstract

A goat population named Garfagnina, from north-west Tuscany (Italy), was studied in order to evaluate the health status in an estimated population of 2500 animals. Data were collected from 31 rural farms and 320 animals. For each farm an anamnesis was collected and a clinical examination of animals was performed; sera and faecal samples were collected and tested for brucellosis, paratuberculosis, caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV), tularemia and gastro intestinal parasites. All the animals tested were clinically healthy; a moderate ecto-parasitism (Ixodidae) was present without any sign of illness or scrape; a good faecal-score was recorded. Faecal sample flotation showed a moderate prevalence for Eimeria spp. oocysts (29.7%); gastrointestinal strongyles were always present. Eggs per gram (EPG) and oocysts per gram (OPG) counts were low (OPG/EPG<100). According to Italian norms, all the animals tested were brucellosis free; serodiagnosis showed a 6.58% seroprevalence of CAEV, 5.26% of paratuberculosis, and 0.5% of tularemia. The sanitary conditions of the population confirmed the healthy status of the animals: sporadic positiveness seems to be correlated with the presence of wild ungulate in the same area and should be investigated further.