Adult-onset diarrhea is less common than in lambs and kids, but nevertheless is possible. Parasitism can cause diarrhea in adult sheep and goats. Coccidiosis can occur in adults under extreme stress or due to lack of immunity. The ingestion of toxins, of which the list is long, can also cause diarrhea. It is not uncommon for sheep or goats to scour when they are grazing lush or wet pasture.
Johne’s Disease (pronounced “Yo-nees”)
Unlike cattle, diarrhea is not a common symptom of sheep and goats infected with Johne’s disease. A USDA-APHIS study showed than less than 20 percent of sheep and goats with Johne’s show diarrhea. Johne’s disease is an incurable, contagious bacterial disease of the intestinal tract. It occurs in a wide variety of animals, but most often in ruminants. Johne’s is most commonly reported in dairy cattle, but probably underrated as a problem in small ruminants.