One hundred eight milking goats from a dairy that had been using a modified caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) eradication program were tested for CAEV antibodies by serologic methods and for proviral CAEV DNA by use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. All goats were free of clinical symptoms of CAEV infection. Twenty-seven of the 108 goats were considered seropositive, on the basis of ELISA results. Proviral CAEV DNA was detected, using PCR techniques, in mononuclear leukocytes in blood samples obtained from 25 of the these 27 seropositive goats. Twenty of the 81 seronegative goats also had positive PCR test results. Ten of these goats seroconverted by 8 months later, and virus was readily isolated from mononuclear leukocytes in venous blood samples after the goats had seroconverted. Virus was also isolated from mononuclear leukocytes in blood samples collected from 4 of 11 goats that were seronegative, but had positive PCR test results. These results indicated that seroconversion can be delayed for many months following natural infection with CAEV. Delayed seroconversion appears to be a feature of CAEV infection, which may have direct implications for CAEV eradication programs and epidemiologic studies that rely on serologic methods to detect infected goats.

Pharmacokinetic variables of ibuprofen were studied in 6 adult lactating dairy goats after single administration of the drug (14 and 25 mg/kg of body weight, IV, and 50 and 100 mg/kg, PO). Each of the goats was given all doses, with a minimum of 1 week between doses. Ibuprofen concentration in serum was analyzed by use of high-performance liquid chromatography. The lower limit of detection for the ibuprofen assay was 50 ng/ml. Ibuprofen pharmacokinetic variables after IV administration best fit an open two-compartment model. Geometric mean (range) volume of distribution at steady state was 0.16 (0.11 to 0.19) and 0.17 (0.15 to 0.19) lag, and terminal half-life was 1.08 (0.79 to 1.70) and 1.27 (1.03 to 1.88) hours, for ibuprofen dosages of 14 and 25 mg/kg, respectively. After 50 and 100 mg/kg administered orally, bioavailability was 90.8 and 106%, respectively. Area under the curve increased linearly with dose administered. Adverse effects were not observed in goats given ibuprofen.

The impact of nematode parasitism of the digestive tract on milk output and milk quality was examined in dairy goats. In addition, the consequences of worm infection were compared in goats with different lactation performance (ie, with initial high or low milk production). Forty-eight goats in the second month of lactation were allotted equally to 2 groups. The first group was given 5,000 Haemonchus contortus and 20,000 Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae. The 24 additional goats remained free of parasites. Parasitologic, serologic, and milk data were collected every 2 weeks for 5 months, and body condition of the goats was scored throughout the study. Results of strongyle egg count in feces, increase in pepsinogen values, and reduction in RBC count, PCV, and serum inorganic phosphate concentration indicated subclinical infection, This subclinical parasitism induced a decrease in body condition scoring and led to persistent decrease in milk yield, ranging from 2.5 to 10% reduction from control values. Changes in fat and protein contents were not detected. In contrast, the consequences of infection were more severe in the 6 goats with the highest milk production at the start of the study. Decrease in milk output ranged between 13.0 to 25.1%, and was associated with decrease in fat content. Comparison of the response to parasitism in the 6 goats with the highest lactation performance and the 6 goats with the lowest performance indicated differences be- tween both subgroups. According to parasitologic and pathologic data, high-producer goats had less resistance and/or resilience to infection associated with more severe consequences on milk production.