Recherche en pathologie caprine : applications et perspectives

Within Europe, the goat industry appears to have minor importance when compared to sheep or cattle productions, and the interest of research and studies in caprine pathology is limited. Here, this article is aimed at presenting the main research models in France, the current available data on the pathogenic mechanisms and the physiopathological processes and the related development of measures of management control using examples of pathologies caused by different agents (prions, viruses, bacteria, protozoan or helminthic parasites) that affect goats and their production. It is also aimed at underlining the interest of specific caprine studies not only as models of comparative pathology in small ruminants but also as tools that take into account the specific constraints of the dairy industry.