…diseases, particularly those affecting the nervous system, have been identified. A fatal neurological disorder of sheep, called scrapie, has an incubation period of years and may be caused by a heat-resistant protein called a prion, which is self-replicating. Similar, rather obscure agents have been identified for two uncommon fatal disorders…
Read MoreJohne’s disease, serious infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis. Although principally a disease of cattle, it can affect sheep, deer, and goats, and it occurs worldwide. Cows may not show signs of the disease for as long as a year after exposure to it.
Chronic diarrhea and loss of weight are prominent effects; a substantial drop in milk production also occurs. A diseased animal’s coat becomes rough and does not shed as usual; the skin dries. The disease is spread chiefly by ingestion of feed and water contaminated by droppings of an infected animal. Slaughter of afflicted animals is advocated as a control. Good management and sanitation are important control measures.
