Resumen de Editorial: Goats, lameness and treponemes – time for preventive measures?
LAMENESS in cattle, sheep and goats is a major animal welfare concern worldwide. The majority of cases are caused by claw disorders. Sheep and goats are usually susceptible to the same claw diseases, but contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD), which is associated with Treponema species, has previously only been diagnosed in sheep. However, a UK goat herd with severe lameness of unknown aetiology was recently assessed, and Treponema species were identified in goats with lesions resembling CODD (Sullivan and others 2014b). This finding indicates that a painful, debilitating and costly disease has spread to goats, which may have implications for everyone involved in goat farming.
