Health Evaluation of Lambs and Goat Kids Raised in Bingöl

Abstract

This investigation was conducted as a direct survey that evaluated the overall health of lambs and goat kids, as well as their mothers, on small farms that were raised in Bingöl. It had a total of 66 questions on 200 businesses located in the center of Bingöl, as well as its affiliated villages, and Karlıova, Solhan, Genç, and Adaklı districts. The results of the survey revealed that the majority of the owners of businesses were primary or secondary school graduates, their experience was greater than 10 years (63%), the animals were primarily kept in traditional barn habitats (66.5%), and the farm's herd size was between 101-500 individuals. It is documented that in herds that are mostly housed in tents (31%) and concrete farms (30.5%), 51% of the newborns will stay with their mothers, special attention is given to the food of pregnant (56%), and they spend over half of their time in the pasture outside of the barn. It was said that 70% of the herds were dedicated shepherds; ready-to-eat food or a combination of food was given to the sheep-goats in intensive grazing, and no extra vitamins or minerals were given to the herd (70%) when they were on the pasture. It is said that difficult births are present in 45.5% of mothers, this is most commonly caused by herds that have 51–200 heads, the necessary vaccines are given to the mothers; but 45% of the herds perish due to diseases that are unknown to them, and the most severe loss of offspring is in 101–500 head farms. Again, it was determined that the average birth weight of the offspring was between 2.1–3 kilograms (22.5) and 3.1–4 kilograms (38.5%), 90% of the lambs and kids born without a mother were given "other mother's milk." However, 68.5% of the offspring died without taking care of their mother. As a result, practical knowledge and practices are needed to determine the environment, shelter, and care conditions of kids and lambs, to reduce negative effects, to increase the efficiency of sheep and goat farms, and to reduce economic losses.