United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

NAHMS Goat 2019 Study

From July 1 through December 2019, the USDA’s 

National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), in 

collaboration with the National Agricultural Statistics 

Service (NASS), will conduct its second national study 

of the U.S. goat industry. The NAHMS Goat 2019 study 

will take an in-depth look at the priority issues facing 

U.S. goat operations and provide new and valuable 

information regarding animal health and management 

practices in this growing industry. Approximately 4,700

goat producers from 25 of the Nation’s major goatproducing States (see map) will have the opportunity to 

participate in the study, if they have an inventory of at 

least five adult goats. 

 

Background

A program within the USDA’s Animal Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS), NAHMS collects scientifically 

accurate data for U.S. livestock, poultry, and aquaculture 

industries on a rotating basis.

For the goat study, priority issues facing the industry 

were identified from 1,272 responses via a needsassessment questionnaire and from input from meetings 

with representatives from various segments of the goat 

industry, including stakeholders and government 

agencies.

October 2018

 

Study focus

The NAHMS Goat 2019 study is designed to provide 

individual participants and stakeholders with valuable 

information on the U.S. goat industry. The NAHMS Goat 

2019 study will

• Describe changes in animal health, nutrition, and 

management practices from 2009 to 2019,

• Describe practices producers use to control internal 

parasites and reduce anthelmintic resistance,

• Describe antimicrobial stewardship on goat 

operations and estimate the prevalence of enteric 

pathogens and antimicrobial resistance patterns,

• Describe management practices associated 

with, and producer-reported occurrence of,

economically important goat diseases, and

• Provide a serologic bank for future research.

“Through studies such as this one, we can 

evaluate the needs of our goat populations. We 

can be proactive and progressive in addressing 

the pressing needs we face using the most 

current data to support innovative ideas in 

improving the ways we care for our goats.”

—Susan Myers, DVM, AASRP President

“The 2019 Goat study is an opportunity for U.S. 

goat producers to have your voices heard. What 

are the issues that matter most to you? How can 

cooperative extension services, especially from 

extension veterinarians, help you with these 

issues? The information provided from the results 

of this study will guide the priorities for future goat 

research and program opportunities.”

—Dr. Patty Scharko, President

American Association of Extension Veterinarians
United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

When is the study and how is it conducted?

As previously mentioned, goat producers with an 

inventory of at least 5 adult goats in 25 of the major goatproducing States will be asked to participate. Producers

that choose to complete both phase I and phase II of the 

study will be offered free biologic testing. 

Phase I—In July 2019, NASS representatives will 

contact potential participants. Producers that choose to 

participate will be administered a questionnaire and asked 

if they would like to continue to phase II. 

Phase II—Beginning in September 2019, goat 

producers who agreed to continue in the study will be 

contacted by APHIS or State veterinary health 

professionals to schedule an in-person interview and 

collect biologics. Free biologic testing will include pre- and 

postdeworming fecal parasite egg counts, scrapie resistant 

genotyping, and Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter

culture results. Data collection will end in December 2019.

Benefits to participating

Producers that fully participate in the NAHMS Goat 

2019 study will receive free

• Fecal-egg-count reduction test results for 

gastrointestinal parasites,

• Scrapie-resistant genotyping, and

• Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter fecal 

culture results.

The industry will benefit from

• Current and scientifically valid estimates of 

management practices and disease prevalence, 

• Important information regarding trade and the

overall health of the goat industry, and

• Data that will help policymakers and industry to 

make informed decisions, while at the same time 

helping researchers and others identify vital issues 

related to goat health and productivity.

Confidentiality

Because NAHMS relies on voluntary participation, the 

privacy of every participant is protected. Only those 

collecting the data know the identity of respondents. No 

name or contact information will be associated with 

individual data, and no data will be reported in a way that 

could reveal the identity of a participant. Data are 

presented only in an aggregate manner. 

A scientific approach

NAHMS collects and reports accurate and useful 

information on animal health and management in the 

United States. Since 1990, NAHMS has developed 

national estimates on disease prevalence and other factors 

related to the health of U.S. beef cattle, sheep, goats, dairy 

cattle, swine, equine, poultry, and catfish populations.

The science-based results produced by NAHMS 

have proven to be of considerable value to the U.S. 

livestock, poultry, and aquaculture industries as well as 

to other animal health stakeholders.

NAHMS studies are: 

• National in scope,

• Science based,

• Statistically valid,

• Collaborative,

• Voluntary, and

• Confidential.

____________________________

For more information, contact:

USDA–APHIS–VS–CEAH–NAHMS

NRRC Building B, M.S. 2E7

2150 Centre Avenue 

Fort Collins, CO 80526-8117 

970.494.7000

Or visit NAHMS at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/nahms

#786.1018

____________________________________

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all 

its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, 

disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, 

parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political 

beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived 

from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all 

programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 

should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and 

TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office 

of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 

20250–9410, or call (800) 795–3272 (voice) or (202) 720–6382 (TDD). 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

“...in addition to providing useful feedback to 

participants about the health status of their goats,

the information from this study will play a critical 

role in prioritizing [goat] research needs and 

justifying research dollars...” 

—Joan Dean Rowe, DVM

American Dairy Goat Association member and 

breeder

“Data collection, management practices, research 

direction, and marketing strategies are all vital for 

the well being of our goat industry. This NAHMS 

study is a critical part of the future development 

and advancement of our industry. Please take the 

time to accurately complete the study which will 

provide each participant specific information 

about the health of their flock as well as providing 

a quantum leap forward for our entire industry.”

—Tom Boyer

Producer and Past President of the American 

Goat Federation