Animal Health

This comprehensive guide to chicken diseases covers the most common illnesses, symptoms, causes, and treatments affecting backyard flocks. Learn how to identify sick chickens early, understand viral, bacterial, parasitic, and environmental health issues, and prevent disease through better flock management.

Learn when and why to disbud goats, the difference between disbudding and dehorning, ideal age windows, costs, pain management, risks, and ethical considerations.

Sheep parasites are one of the most costly and recurring problems farmers face. They reduce productivity, damage the quality of their wool, cause a range of health issues, and lower reproductive efficiency across the flock.

Rabbit parasites can severely impact the pet's health; they cause irritation, weight loss, poor coat condition, and even death in severe cases.

Efficient parasite management is essential to maintain herd health, improve productivity, and ensure the long-term sustainability of goat farming.

Effective parasite management is essential to minimize economic losses and maintain herd health. Key strategies include regular monitoring, proper nutrition, pasture management, and timely treatment, all of which help optimize productivity and protect the herd.

Placentitis in mares refers to the inflammation of the placenta and is a significant cause of abortion, premature birth, stillbirth, or neonatal sepsis in broodmares. It is estimated to affect 3 to 5% of pregnancies in Thoroughbred mares.

Pregnancy Toxemia in sheep is a metabolic disorder that may develop in the final weeks of pregnancy or during early lactation. It is most frequently seen in animals carrying twins or triplets or in those that are overweight and have reduced feed intake.

Pregnancy Toxemia in goats is a metabolic disorder that arises when the animal's energy demands exceed its nutritional intake. It is most common during late pregnancy or early lactation, when energy requirements are high. The condition leads to the breakdown of fat for energy, producing excess ketone bodies in the blood.

Ketosis in cattle is a common metabolic disorder that affects cows. It occurs when a cow's energy demands exceed what she can obtain from her diet, causing her body to break down fat for fuel and release excessive ketone bodies into the bloodstream.

Bird flu, or avian influenza (AI), is a contagious viral infection caused by influenza type A viruses that primarily affect birds but can, in rare cases, infect other species, including humans. The most serious strains are Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), such as H5N1 and H5N8, which can cause rapid death in poultry flocks and even pose risks to public health.

In this guide, we’ll break down the most important vaccines for different species of livestock, recommended schedules, and how to keep health records with FarmKeep.