Rabies and Livestock
go.ncsu.edu/readext?1092155
en Español / em Português
El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.
Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.
Português
Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.
Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.
English
English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.
Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.
Collapse ▲Rabies has always been a concern for humans for thousands of years. The first description of symptoms of rabies was written as early as 2300 B.C., but it was until the late nineteenth century that a vaccine was developed. We often think of this as a pet, or small mammal issue, but as the recent news of the horse in Kentucky showed, this can be a concern for livestock producers as well.
How Does it Spread?
The main vector for rabies in the United States is contact with wildlife. Domestic animals that encounter infected wild animals such as, raccoons, foxes, or skunks, can contract the virus. The virus is passed on through contact with saliva or neural tissue (spine or brain matter) by bites, scratches, or open wounds. In North Carolina, we have a lot of small mammals that can carry the disease, so it’s something we should be conscious about.
Symptoms
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the mammalian central nervous system. Over time, inflammation occurs in the brain. Animals that are infected with the virus can express nervous and agitated behavior, and increased aggressiveness, even with normally gentle animals, can be dangerous to humans as these animals can injure handlers. Some animals appear to be choaking and may develop a hoarseness to their vocalization. Drooling, or “foaming at the mouth”, is another common sign of the disease and probably the most well-known. Extreme caution should be taken when handling animals suspected to be rabid.
Treatment
No approved treatments are available for animals that test positive for rabies. If one of your animals develops symptoms, contact your veterinarian and the animal should be put down to be tested. Although prevention practices are not 100% guaranteed to prevent contraction of the virus, it is still the best method to reduce the risk of your animals developing the disease.
Prevention
As one of my undergraduate professors used to say, “better to be proactive than reactive”. When it comes to rabies, that is your only course of action for livestock producers to take to manage rabies on their farm. There are rabies vaccines available for cattle, sheep, and horses, but not goats or pigs. If there have been multiple confirmed cases of rabies in your area (domestic animals or wildlife), incorporating a vaccine into your protocol. Consult your veterinarian if you have questions.
Managing the number of wild and feral animals around your property is another solid strategy to mitigate the risk of livestock encountering the virus. The best way to achieve this is to make the area less desirable for those animals by removing places where they can hide. Securing feed and trash is another key to reduce the amount of animal traffic that come onto your property.
Summary
Rabies is a serious virus that we need to be considerate of in our area. Taking steps to reduce your animals’ risk of exposure and infection is something all producers should be mindful of to prevent unexpected loss of livestock. If you have any questions, contact your veterinarian or your local Cooperative Extension Agent.