Goat breeding and herds health status in the Northeast area of Romania – a short review

Abstract

The goat is a species that managed to attract attention to the breeders due to the fact that they are suitable for an efficient holding in small households, have a high lactogenic capacity, high prolificacy, precocity and high degree of adaptability and resistance, occupying areas where the natural resources and field conditions do not allow the growth of other species, which is why the goat herds in our country is constantly growing. Thus, the goat population in Romania increased from 1009794 animals in 2005 to 2057309 in December 2018. Our country occupying the third place in the hierarchy of Member States of the European Union, in 2019, following countries with tradition in the goat breeding, such as United Kingdom and Spain. The most numerous are the Carpathian native goats and Banat White, a crossbreed obtained from the Carpathian and Saanen breeds, followed by French Alpine and Saanen, imported lately to improve milk production. To date, in Romanian literature had been reported researches on the subject of diseases and health problems in goats, there are studies on paratuberculosis, contagious ecthyma, infectious respiratory disorders, gangrenous mastitis, contagious agalactia, bluetongue, caprine arthritis and encephalitis, and parasitic infections as coccidiosis, tapeworm (Monezia, Cestoda) and round worms (Nematoda - Trichostrongylus sp.) infestation, etc. Although Romania has a national program for urveillance and control program for goat health status, the problems in livestock goat diagnosed and published in recent years, are poor and changing, unsystematic and insufficient. The epidemiological situation in Romania has undergone significant changes in recent years, our country is the southeastern border of the European Union, which implies an increased risk for all major animal diseases and, of course, monitoring programs and greater control than in other Member States of the European Union. An effective animal health program is an essential part of a successful dairy goat management program.