Veterinary Services November 2008 

Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health revised April 2009 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

National Animal Health Monitoring 

System (NAHMS) to Study Goat 

Industry in 2009 

In its first study of the U.S. goat industry, NAHMS 

will obtain baseline information about the U.S. goat 

population, including health issues, prevalence of 

certain diseases, and health and management 

practices. The study will focus primarily on the meat 

and dairy sectors of the goat industry. 

 A unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA), NAHMS was established in 1990 to 

conduct national studies on the health and 

management of the U.S. livestock, poultry, and 

aquaculture populations. 

 

NAHMS Goat 2009 study 

 The NAHMS Goat 2009 study will address the 

priority issues of the U.S. goat industry and other 

stakeholders. These priority issues were developed 

from 1,264 responses to a needs-assessment 

questionnaire and input from meetings across the 

country with representatives of the goat industry. 

 Twenty-one of the major goat-producing States 

will participate in Goat 2009 (see map). These 

States represent 75.5 percent of U.S. goat 

operations and 82.2 percent of U.S. goats. 

Participating States

NAHMS Goat 2009 Study

 NAHMS, in collaboration with domestic and 

global partners, will address the following 

objectives in the Goat 2009 study. 

• Provide a baseline description of animal 

health, nutrition, and management practices 

in the U.S. goat industry. 

• Determine producer awareness of 

VS program diseases. 

• Describe producer-reported occurrence of 

infectious diseases (including brucellosis, 

scrapie, caprine arthritis encephalitis, 

Johne’s disease, and caseous 

lymphadenitis) and the management and 

biosecurity practices important for 

controlling them. 

• Describe practices important for controlling 

internal parasites and reducing anthelmintic 

resistance. 

• Determine producer awareness of sore 

mouth (contagious ecthyma) and practices 

to prevent its transmission. 

The objectives will be achieved in collaboration with 

domestic and global partners, including universities 

and other federal agencies. 

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture 
Benefits to the industry

 By gathering reliable and valuable information 

on the U.S. goat industry, the Goat 2009 study will 

help to 

 

• Educate the producers and veterinarians of 

tomorrow, 

• Help policymakers and industry 

representatives make informed decisions, 

• Measure the impacts of disease, 

• Evaluate the potential impacts of diseases 

affecting both goats and humans, 

• Assist researchers and private enterprises 

to identify and focus on vital issues related 

to goat health and productivity, and 

• Conduct economic analyses of the health 

and productivity of the U.S. goat industry. 

Study schedule 

 In the first phase of this study, representatives 

from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service 

will contact randomly selected goat producers from 

July through mid-August 2009 to administer an 

on-site questionnaire.∗

 After voluntarily completing 

the questionnaire, producers will be given a 

second, shorter questionnaire to complete and mail 

back in a business-reply envelope. This second 

phase of the study might include biological 

sampling, and producers will receive additional 

information then about the sampling options. 

Benefits to participants 

 All goat producers who participate in the first 

phase of the study will receive reports and 

information sheets presenting the study results; 

these materials will enable each producer to 

compare his or her operation—including 

management decisions and practices—with other 

U.S. goat operations. These publications will 

present study data on national, regional, and 

operation-size bases for general management and 

production topics as well as specific health-related 

issues. 

 If funding becomes available, the study will 

include biological sampling components; producers 

choosing to participate will receive results that 

 

∗

Operations with fewer than 10 goats at time of sample 

selection will follow a different process that will involve 

completing only a short questionnaire by mail or, if preferred, 

by follow-up telephone call. This process also is voluntary and 

strictly confidential. 

could help guide management practices. These 

potential testing options will provide 

• Information about internal parasites in the 

herd and their resistance to anthelmintics, 

which could help improve deworming 

protocols; 

• Sample results that will help producers 

evaluate whether their herd has Johne’s 

disease; and/or 

• Information on strain(s) of sore mouth 

present on the operation. 

Confidentiality 

 Because NAHMS’ studies rely on voluntary 

participation, USDA–APHIS protects the privacy of 

every participant. Only those collecting the data 

know the identity of the respondent. No participant 

name or address is ever recorded in any APHIS 

database. No data will be reported on any 

individual or in a manner that would allow the 

identification of an individual. 

________________________________ 

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 

E-mail: NAHMS@aphis.usda.gov 

Or visit NAHMS on the Web: http://nahms.aphis.usda.gov 

#477.1108 

________________________________ 

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mentioned. Product names are mentioned solely to report 

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