The signs of health

a. Appearance

• A healthy animal lively with bright eyes and alert ears.
• Hair coat should be smooth and lie even.
• Skin should be loosed and easily rolled on the underlying muscle.
• The skin should have a natural sheen.
• Muffle (muzzle) should be alert and responding.

b. Digestion

• Should not be foeted odour from the mouth and breath.
• Appetite and ruminating should be normal.
• Faeces should be normal.
• Urination: – Should be clear and normal quantity.

c. Respiration

• It should be easy, noiseless.
• The respiration is usually taken by counting the combined movements of the flank and thorax.
• It may take by nesting movement of nostril.

Normal respiration rates

Cattle                           :           20-25 per minute

Buffaloes                    :           15-20 per minute

Sheep and goat            :           20-30 per minute

Pigs                             :           10-20 per minute

Horse                           :           8-12 per minute

Pulse

• In cattle and buffalo the pulse can be felt under the tail (coccygeal artery).
• In sheep and goat either at the lower jaw where it turns upwards or at the femoral artery inside the hind limb rather more than half way between stifle and hip joints, this is also suitable for pig.

Normal pulse rate

Cattle                          :           50-60 beats per minute

Buffaloes                    :           40-50 beats per minute

Sheep and goat            :           70-80 beats per minute

Pigs                             :           70-90 beats per minute

Horse                           :           36-42 beats per minute

The pulse rate is generally higher in young and pregnant animals.

Temperature

Temperature can be measured by inserting clinical thermometer into the rectum of an animal for half a minute. Young animals, females in late pregnancy and excited animals frequently show higher temperatures than normal. The normal body temperatures of different livestock are

Cattle              :           101.5⁰F

Buffaloes        :           98.3⁰F in winter-up to 103⁰F in summer

Sheep              :           102.0⁰F

Goat                :           102.5⁰F

Pigs                 :           102.6⁰F

Horse               :           100.5⁰F