Skin
August 2022
TLDR Goat hair growth is influenced by light cycles and diet, and skin diseases in goats are diagnosed through a step-by-step process and often involve viral or bacterial infections.
The document reviews the structure and function of goat skin, with a focus on hair growth. It notes that hair growth in goats is similar to other land mammals and is influenced by factors such as photoperiod, likely through melatonin, and nutrition. Certain goat breeds are specifically kept for fiber production, with mohair consisting of non-medullated fibers lacking crimp. The document also discusses the diagnosis of skin diseases in goats, which involves a progression from history, to a general clinical examination, to a detailed skin examination, and finally to confirmatory testing or diagnosis by response to therapy. It mentions that contagious ecthyma and capripox viruses cause prominent skin lesions in goats, and that secondary bacterial infections, especially staphylococci, commonly invade almost any skin lesion on a goat.
