Ketosis in Dairy Goats: The Hidden Threat to Herd Productivity

Profitability and success of goat farming rely mainly on good herd management, particularly nutrition and health. The three main pillars of productivity are nutrition, reproduction and disease management. The metabolic health of the animal directly influences milk production, yield and quality thereof. These parameters drive the success and overall performance of the enterprise! The importance of metabolic health, which directly influences these parameters, is thus of cardinal importance.

High-yielding dairy goats face unique metabolic challenges; one of the most critical is ketosis (also called pregnancy toxaemia). This condition occurs especially in the late pregnancy (mainly with twins/triplets) and the early lactation phase of high producing does, leading to serious health and productivity losses. In late pregnancy, this condition occurs because the growing kids occupy abdominal space, reducing rumen capacity and leading to decreased feed intake. An increase in high milk production and yield during the early lactation phase poses a risk for the occurrence of metabolic stress, because the energy needed therefore often exceeds the nutritional intake through feed. If the energy demand is not met through feed intake, the body breaks down fat reserves to compensate, which leads to the production and accumulation of ketone bodies in the bloodstream.

Ketones can serve as an alternative energy source, but extreme levels become toxic, impairing normal physiological function. This results in a decrease in milk yield, poor reproductive performance and in severe cases, even death of the doe or kids or even both. The impact of ketosis is not only on the does but can also influence the offspring. The occurrence of stillbirths, weak kids, slower growth, reduced survival, reduced milk output, delayed breeding, higher veterinary costs and lower profitability are some of the consequences of ketosis.

Prevention is thus key! It is much easier and cheaper than treatment. There are a few management practices that farmers can adopt to address this metabolic disease.

Balanced nutrition and feeding management:

Ensure you provide constant access to clean water and adequate nutrition through good-quality feed, such as high-quality forage to maintain rumen function, plus grain supplements. When rumen space is limited, offer smaller and more frequent feed to maximise intake. To reduce competition at the feeding troughs, ensure feed is accessible to all animals. Products like De Heus Caprilac BF are an excellent choice during the lactation period. It is typically fed with roughage as part of a controlled ration to ensure goats receive consistent nutrition during lactation. The De Heus Caprilac BF range helps keep milk production high by supplying quality protein and enough energy to maintain body condition during lactation. It also includes vitamins and minerals to support fertility and keep animals healthy. De Heus Kaliber Senior 22 is a supplement fed with good quality roughage during the does dry period to maintain an ideal body condition score. It contains 22% crude protein and provides high-quality bypass protein to promote skeletal growth rather than fat deposition. It is lower in energy content to complement the roughage provided and consists of adequate vitamins and minerals, of which phosphorus is the most important for growth, reproduction, and metabolic function. Smooth dietary transitions are, however, important to prevent digestive disorders.

Body condition monitoring:

Body condition score (BCS) is a key management tool before kidding. As mentioned, feeding De Heus Kaliber Senior 22 during the dry period helps to obtain an ideal BCS of around 3.0 on a 5-point scale.

Figure 1: Dairy Goat Body Conditioning Scoring

Both under- and over-conditioned does present significant risks during late gestation. Thin does lack sufficient energy reserves, increasing the likelihood of ketosis, poor milk production, and weak kids at birth. Conversely, over-conditioned does are prone to reduced feed intake due to limited rumen capacity, placing them at risk of ketosis, metabolic disorders, and dystocia at kidding. Assess the BCS of the does frequently during gestation and adjust the feed steadily during mid-pregnancy to maintain condition. Increase the energy intake slightly during the last six weeks to support foetal growth.

Pregnancy detection:

Pregnancy scanning in dairy goats is not only about confirming conception, but also a valuable management tool to prevent metabolic disorders such as ketosis. Identifying whether does are carrying singles, twins, triplets or even quadruplets allows producers to adjust feeding levels during the last few weeks before kidding, when energy demands increase rapidly while rumen capacity decreases. Does carrying multiple foetuses have a significantly higher glucose requirement and are therefore at much greater risk of entering negative energy balance if nutrition is not adapted in time. By grouping and feeding animals according to expected litter size, farmers can more accurately meet energy requirements, support healthy foetal development, and greatly reduce the incidence of pregnancy toxaemia and ketosis around kidding.

Stress reduction and parasite control:

Avoid stressful management practises by minimising handling and environmental stress during the late pregnancy and early lactation phase of dairy goats. Avoid unnecessary movement or transport and provide adequate shelter, comfortable housing and sufficient, balanced feed. Where possible, try not to mix unfamiliar goats to reduce fighting and hierarchy stress. Limit noise and disturbances, especially during kidding time. Treat does before kidding (strategic deworming) to reduce parasite load passed to kids and minimise contamination of kidding areas. To reduce exposure to parasite larvae, clean kidding pens regularly by disinfecting and providing fresh bedding. Monitor faecal egg count to help identify goats needing targeted treatment.

Herd alert: Detection and treatment:

Ketosis is often diagnosed too late due to its subtle onset and the prevalence of subclinical forms. There are two forms of ketosis, clinical and subclinical. Clinical ketosis is known to have visible symptoms, while subclinical ketosis has no obvious signs but is detectable via biochemical tests. Both cases are detrimental to productivity. Therefore, early detection is thus of cardinal importance so that intervention can happen before clinical ketosis develops. The animals should be monitored closely for signs like reduced feed intake, rapid weight loss, sudden drop in milk production and yield, depression or dullness, abnormal behaviour like nervous signs (tremors, aimless walking), staggering gait and a characteristic sweet or acetone-like odour on the breath or urine.

During the last weeks before kidding, some does may develop swelling in the legs or brisket before any clear signs of ketosis are seen. The body starts using its own fat reserves, which puts strain on the liver. When the liver is under pressure, it produces less of a blood protein that normally keeps fluid inside the blood vessels. As a result, fluid leaks into the tissues and causes swelling, especially in the lower legs. The problem can be made worse by the heavy uterus pressing on blood flow and by reduced movement.

Suspicions can be confirmed with simple diagnostic tools (urine ketone strips) or blood tests (BHBA levels) to diagnose whether there are metabolic disorders within the heart. Treatment focuses on immediate energy supplementation to restore glucose availability and reduce ketone body accumulation. Strategic supplementation of energy through an oral propylene glycol drench or molasses-based supplements is common to provide quick energy boosts. Intravenous glucose or dextrose may be required in severe cases, and corticosteroids can help stimulate appetite and gluconeogenesis. Corrective feeding with high-energy, digestible feed and mineral and vitamin supplementation supports overall metabolic health. Fluids/electrolytes or vitamin B injections can be provided in severe cases by veterinarians. It is important to monitor the animal’s recovery and to address any underlying causes as soon as possible.

Through good stockmanship, farmers can protect their herds and strengthen the dairy goat industry in South Africa.

Table 1: Ketosis prevention checklist

By proactively preventing ketosis, we safeguard productivity, animal health and ultimately ensure sustainable and profitable enterprise.

The dairy goat industry is growing in South Africa and holds great promise. It offers job opportunities to meet the niche consumer demand. The success of this farming practise depends on good herd management with careful attention to animal nutrition and health. Metabolic disorders like ketosis remain a challenge. It is therefore essential to understand, prevent, and detect the clinical and subclinical symptoms of ketosis and the treatment thereof to sustain the productivity and profitability of the dairy goat sector. As this industry develops, let us remember that healthy goats mean healthy profits, which is the foundation of the industry. Farmers have the ability to unlock the full potential of their herds and contribute to a thriving, sustainable agricultural future.

Contact your local De Heus Technical Advisor to learn more Ketosis in Dairy Goats - https:// www.deheus.co.za/ meet-our-team/.