Membership of the WeCAHN small ruminants experts network includes veterinary practitioners, laboratory diagnosticians, veterinary college researchers, and provincial ministry staff including veterinary epidemiologists.

A 2025 Canadian study demonstrated that dairy- and avian- origin HPAI A(H5N1) infected goat respiratory and mammary cells, caused severe mastitis with marked drop in milk production and changes in milk quality, and that viruses shed in milk infected suckling kids. (Alkie et al., 2025)  

Antibodies to H5 avian influenza were detected in sheep in Norway nearly a year after sheep were exposed to contaminated grazing areas by a major seabird die-off. (Hol Fosse et al., 2025).

HPAI (H5N1) was confirmed in a sheep in England on March 24, 2025, following repeat positive milk testing. The sheep was identified following routine surveillance as it was located on a premises with infected captive birds. (UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, 2025).

USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in neonatal goat kids that demonstrated neurologic signs from a Minnesota backyard premises recently affected with HPAI. The goats on the premises shared the same pasture and sole water source with infected ducks and chickens. The goats began to kid days after the birds were depopulated. Of 10 goat kids that have died (5 to 9 days of age), five tested positive on brain and other tissues for H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus. Sequencing showed that isolates from the first goat and infected poultry were highly related. LINK

Cache Valley Virus

Cache Valley virus (CVV) cases have been reported across the prairies late 2024 to early 2025 and discussed at the recent WeCAHN small ruminants network meeting.

For more information:
Read the Summary
Read the Report

General Information Document
CVV is a mosquito-borne virus detected throughout North America, Central Amera, and parts of South America. The virus can be detected in sheep, goats, horses, and other animals including humans, but it is carried and spread only by mosquitos. This WeCAHN document provides an overview of CVV in sheep and goats, including clinical signs, diagnosis, and prevention.
LINK

Article: Cache Valley virus scoping review of the global evidence
This scoping review was conducted to identify, characterize and summarize research on CVV, and to identify research gaps.
Findings highlight that CVV circulates in mosquito and animal species across a large area of the Americas. Small ruminants are the only animals in which CVV‐associated clinical disease has been extensively studied. It is likely that human cases are under‐reported or misdiagnosed. Future research should focus on the impact of CVV infection, in human and animal populations.
LINK

Article: Seroprevalence of Cache Valley virus and related viruses in sheep and other livestock from Saskatchewan Canada
These results suggest widespread exposure to Cache Valley virus or closely related viruses, in domestic animals and mule deer in Saskatchewan.
LINK

Article: Ecology and Geography of Cache Valley virus assessed using ecological niche modeling
CVV has a continental-level, widespread transmission potential. Large areas of North Amera have suitable climate, vectors, and hosts for CVV emergence, establishment, and spread.
LINK

Article: A Scoping Review on the Epidemiology of Orthobunyaviruses of Canadian Public and Animal Health Relevance in the Context of Vector Species
This review describes the current state of knowledge on the epidemiology of orthobunyaviruses relevant to Canada related to vector species, including viral competency, geospatial distributions, seasonal trends, and risk factors.
LINK

Article: A Scoping Review on the Epidemiology of Orthobunyaviruses in Canada, in the Context of Human, Wildlife, and Domestic Animal Host Species
This review describes the current state of knowledge on orthobunyavirus epidemiology in Canada focusing on host species, including spatiotemporal patterns, risk factors, and climate change impact.
LINK

Article: Cache a Killer: Cache Valley virus seropositivity and associated farm management risk factors in sheep in Ontario, Canada
CVV seroprevalence was 33.2% in individual ewes. Sixteen of the eighteen flocks (88.9%) had at least one CVV seropositive ewe. Increased age, smaller flock size, and sheep housing near wetlands, lakes, or ponds were found to be significantly associated with higher odds of CVV seropositivity. Findings are valuable in guiding breeding practices and housing during mosquito season to minimize infection and ultimately, CVV disease in the flock.
LINK

CVV Resources from the Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN)
The OAHN shares additional CVV resources on their small ruminant network page under "Small Ruminant Abortion Information and Resources".
LINK

Zoonosis Risks and Lambing Season

In the heat of the moment it's easy to forget the potential human risks around helping with lambing. Intervening in a ruminant (cattle/sheep/goat) birthing may mean you are unknowingly exposed to animal pathogens which can produce life-changing human infections, such as Coxeilla burnetii, the bacterium causing Q fever. WeCAHN has information to help you protect yourself and family members from zoonotic diseases.

Zoonotic diseases in small ruminants: WeCAHN podcast

Dr. Fabienne Uehlinger, an Associate Professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, provides an update covering diseases of small ruminants that can be spread to people (zoonotic diseases). These diseases and their clinical signs should be on the radar for anyone working regularly with sheep or goats - producers and veterinarians alike.

Listen here.

Handbook for the Control of Internal Parasites in Sheep and Goats LINK 

 A comprehensive manual describing diagnosis, management and control of internal parasites in sheep and goats.

General principles of parasite control:

General management (American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (ACSRPC)) LINK  
Nutritional effects on parasites (ACSRPC) LINK
Parasite biology impacts control (ACSRPC) LINK
Pasture management (ACSRPC) LINK
Periparturient egg rise (ACSRPC) LINK
Fecal egg count (Infographic) (ACSRPC) LINK

Treatment and control principles
Famacha Eye Anemia System (Infographic) (ACSRPC) LINK
Proper use of de-wormers (ACSRPC) LINK
Managing de-wormer resistance (ACSRPC) LINK
On-farm selection for resistance to parasites (ACSRPC) LINK
Targeted selective treatment Combination treatments (ACSRPC) LINK
Combination treatments (Infographic) LINK

Coccidia
Management of coccidia (ACSRPC) LINK
Omnipresent coccidia (Infographic) (ACSRPC) LINK

Additional information

Gilleard Lab University of Calgary 

American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control LINK

Following are collections of documents from the WeCAHN information library in the areas of small ruminant emerging issues, infographics and short summaries, and international small ruminant surveillance and research.

Visitors using older browsers please note that for each of the following graphics below, hovering underneath the black font text will identify the area (“READ MORE”) to click on, to access the linked web pages.