Wisconsin Sheep and Goat Extension

This article is not intended to alarm sheep and goat producers but instead to make them aware and more knowledgeable about a disease of sheep and goats (Q fever) that can also infect humans. Much of the information in this article comes from an article that appeared in the March 2013 issue of Ontario Sheep News, “Prevalence of Q fever Antibodies in Ontario Sheep and their Farm Families” by Shannon Meadows (pages 14-15).

Facts about Q Fever:

• Caused by Coxiella Burnetii, a bacterium that infects sheep, goats, cattle and humans
• Symptoms in sheep include abortion, stillbirth, early lamb mortality
• Infected animals may not show symptoms of the disease but may shed the organism in birth fluids, products of pregnancy (placenta, etc), milk and feces
• Bacteria may be aerosolized and spread in dust
• Infections in people:
  • 60% don’t have signs of disease
  • Common acute symptoms: fever, headaches, muscle pain
  • Uncommon acute symptoms: pneumonia, hepatitis, meningitis
  • Rare symptoms: heart and liver disease, chronic fatigue syndrome
• Acute Q Fever very responsive to antibiotics
• Serological tests required for diagnosis (humans, animals)

Read more »

The 5^th Annual Arlington Sheep Day will be held on Saturday morning, March 16, 2013 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Arlington Agricultural Research Station. The program is packed with useful information on sheep grazing, genetics, health, and nutrition. Program,  Description , Registration form  Read more »

The University of Wisconsin Madison – Arlington Sheep Unit will hold it’s Sixth Annual Badger Production Sale on Sunday, September 22, 2013 at the Public Events Facility at the Arlington Ag Research Station Wisconsin. More information available at http://badgerproductionsale.com/ or contact Todd Taylor (toddtaylor@wisc.edu, 608-846-5858).

Selling Polypay and Hampshire Ewe lambs and Ram Lambs and Rambouillet and Rambouillet-Booroola ewe lambs.  Polypay and Hampshire flocks are actively enrolled in NSIP, and lambs will sell with most current EBV’s.

Keep up to date on activities at the UW-Madison Arlington Sheep Unit at our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/UWMadisonSheepProgram.

2012 Badger Production Sale: The sale offering of 52 ewe lambs and 6 rams averaged $432 per head, up almost $30 per head above the sale average from 2011. 2012 Sale Report

The 61st Spooner Sheep Day will be held Saturday, August 17, 2013. Attendance at the educational sessions is free. There is a charge for the lamb barbeque lunch. Contact: Michel Baldin, Spooner Sheep Researcher (baldin@wisc.edu).

As this website develops, it will be updated with current news and events relating to sheep and goats, informational fact sheets and helpful links.  Please visit again to see the updated information.

Please contact David L. Thomas with any questions at dlthomas@wisc.edu or by phone at (608) 263-4306.