Farmed goats
PIRSA is responsible for overseeing:
- goat disease management
- farmed goat identification
- farmed goat movement into South Australia
- feral goat control.
All properties with 1 or more goats must have a property identification code (PIC).
Goat diseases
South Australian goat owners should be aware of the serious diseases that can affect their herds. Goats can become infected with:
Johne’s disease and footrot are notifiable disease and must be immediately reported.
There are controls on using restricted animal material as feed, to keep your goats safe.
Footrot
Footrot
Goats can be infected with benign and virulent footrot. This means any footrot lesion in goats can infect other animals.
Strict controls are in place for all goats moved into South Australia from interstate. Goats entering SA must not:
- be infected with footrot
- have been in direct contact with footrot infected animals in the previous year.
Johne’s disease (JD)
Johne’s disease (JD)
Goats can carry bovine and ovine strains of Johne’s disease that can infect other animals on the property. JD is difficult and expensive to eradicate once it enters a population and can be carried in goats without showing signs of the disease.
Symptoms of JD include wasting and weight loss despite a good appetite, without diarrhoea. Once symptoms commence there is no effective treatment.
JD is rare in South Australia, but more common in some other states. If purchasing goats from interstate, we strongly recommend obtaining a completed Goat Health Declaration, with questions on JD and CAE completed.
Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE)
Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE)
CAE is not a notifiable disease, but owners should be aware that this virus can spread in a herd and cause serious disease. CAE is more common in dairy goat herds.
Accreditation programs
GoatMAP is the national accreditation program for CAE and JD – goats from interstate should be enrolled in this to help producers identify and promote their low risk of infection.
Goat movement
Goats moved to SA from interstate must have:
- A National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) device.
- Either of the following documents:
- National Vendor Declaration. Copies must be kept for 7 years.
- Alternative Sheep and Goat Movement Waybill ( or ). Copies must be kept for 7 years.
A completed National Goat Health Declaration is also recommended.
There are some exemptions for dairy goats around NLIS devices – phone 1800 654 688 for more information.
