Border Disease Virus in Goats: Reproductive Loss and Weak Kids

Quick Answer
  • Border disease is a pestivirus infection that mainly causes problems during pregnancy, including early embryonic loss, abortion, stillbirths, and weak or trembling kids.
  • Some kids infected before birth can become persistently infected carriers and continue shedding virus, which can keep herd problems going.
  • Goats may be infected by border disease virus strains or by closely related ruminant pestiviruses, especially when goats have close contact with sheep or cattle.
  • There is no specific antiviral treatment. Care focuses on supportive nursing for affected kids, isolation, testing, and herd-level control planning with your vet.
  • Prompt veterinary involvement matters most when multiple does abort, kids are born weak or shaking, or you are making breeding and culling decisions.
Estimated cost: $150–$1,200

What Is Border Disease Virus in Goats?

Border disease is a viral reproductive disease caused by a pestivirus. It is best known in sheep, but goats can also be affected. In goats, the biggest concern is infection during pregnancy, because the virus can damage the developing fetus and lead to reproductive loss, weak newborn kids, tremors, poor growth, or kids that do not survive long after birth.

A key problem with border disease is in utero infection early in gestation. When that happens, some kids may be born persistently infected, meaning they carry and shed virus for long periods and can silently expose other animals. Adult goats may show few obvious signs, so a herd can have fertility problems before anyone realizes an infectious cause is involved.

Border disease virus is closely related to bovine viral diarrhea virus in cattle, and similar clinical signs can occur with either type of ruminant pestivirus. That is why herd history matters. If goats share housing, fence lines, pasture, equipment, or breeding areas with sheep or cattle, your vet may consider pestivirus exposure as part of the workup.

Symptoms of Border Disease Virus in Goats

  • Early embryonic loss or repeat breeding
  • Abortion
  • Stillbirths or mummified fetuses
  • Weak newborn kids
  • Tremors or shaking
  • Congenital abnormalities
  • Poor growth and shortened lifespan
  • Low herd fertility

Call your vet promptly if you see more than one abortion, weak or trembling kids, or a sudden drop in pregnancy success. These signs are not specific to border disease. Other infectious causes of abortion in goats can look similar, and some reproductive diseases also carry herd-wide or human health concerns.

See your vet immediately if a doe is sick after aborting, if a newborn kid cannot stand or nurse, or if several pregnant animals are affected at once. Save placentas, aborted fetuses, and pre-colostrum blood samples when possible, and handle all birthing materials with gloves until your vet advises you on testing and biosecurity.

What Causes Border Disease Virus in Goats?

Border disease is caused by infection with border disease virus (Pestivirus D) or, in some outbreaks, a closely related ruminant pestivirus such as bovine viral diarrhea virus. The most important damage happens when a doe is infected during early pregnancy. At that stage, the fetus may die, develop abnormally, or become persistently infected and continue shedding virus after birth.

The virus spreads through contact with infected animals and their body fluids or tissues. Birthing materials are especially important. Placenta, fetal tissues, and birthing fluids can contain virus, and persistently infected kids may also shed virus. Some guidance for goat producers also notes shedding in urine, feces, and milk, which is one reason herd-level control matters.

Risk goes up when goats are mixed with sheep or cattle, especially pregnant does housed or pastured near animals of unknown pestivirus status. Introducing untested replacements, sharing equipment, and moving animals without quarantine can all increase exposure risk. Stress does not cause the virus, but it may make herd problems more noticeable during kidding season.

How Is Border Disease Virus in Goats Diagnosed?

Diagnosis usually starts with the pattern of disease in the herd: abortions, stillbirths, weak kids, tremors, and poor kid survival. Because several goat abortion diseases can look alike, your vet will usually recommend a herd investigation, not a guess based on signs alone.

Testing may include PCR, antigen testing, and sometimes serology, along with examination of aborted fetuses, placenta, or tissues from affected kids. In newborns, pre-colostrum blood can be especially helpful because maternal antibodies from colostrum may interfere with some testing approaches. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry may also be used in some cases.

Your vet may also recommend repeat testing to identify persistently infected animals, because these goats can keep the virus circulating. Differential diagnoses often include other infectious abortion causes and neurologic or congenital conditions, so a complete workup may involve additional lab panels rather than a single test.

Treatment Options for Border Disease Virus in Goats

Spectrum of Care means you have options. Here are treatment tiers at different price points.

Budget-Conscious Care

$150–$500
Best for: Small herds with one or a few suspect cases, especially when the immediate goal is to stabilize kids and confirm whether a pestivirus is likely involved.
  • Farm call or clinic exam for affected doe or kids
  • Basic supportive care plan for weak kids, including warming, assisted nursing, and colostrum guidance
  • Isolation of aborting does and newborns of concern
  • Submission of selected samples from one abortion or one weak kid for targeted PCR or basic lab testing
  • Short-term biosecurity steps for kidding area cleanup and disposal of placentas and fetal tissues
Expected outcome: Adult does often recover physically, but reproductive outcome depends on stage of pregnancy and whether persistently infected kids are present. Weak kids may do poorly even with nursing support.
Consider: Lower upfront cost, but limited testing can miss herd-level spread or fail to identify carrier animals. This may lead to repeat losses in future breedings.
Most Common

Recommended Standard Treatment

$500–$1,500
Best for: Most herds with confirmed or strongly suspected border disease, especially when there are multiple abortions, weak kids, or ongoing fertility problems.
  • Full herd-history review with your vet
  • PCR and/or antigen testing on aborted material, placenta, affected kids, and selected herd mates
  • Repeat testing strategy to help identify persistently infected kids
  • Supportive neonatal care for weak kids, including tube-feeding guidance if appropriate
  • Breeding-group segregation, quarantine recommendations, and written herd biosecurity plan
  • Discussion of culling or removing confirmed persistently infected animals
Expected outcome: Fair for the herd if infected carriers are identified and removed and breeding management is tightened. Prognosis for individual persistently infected kids is guarded.
Consider: More testing and management time are needed. Cost is higher, but this approach gives a much better chance of stopping ongoing reproductive loss.

Advanced / Critical Care

$1,500–$4,000
Best for: Larger herds, seedstock operations, mixed-species farms, or situations with repeated losses where breeding value and long-term control are major priorities.
  • Expanded outbreak investigation with multiple submissions and broader differential testing for abortion causes
  • Hospital-level or intensive on-farm neonatal support for valuable weak kids
  • Serial herd screening of replacements, breeding animals, and exposed kids
  • Detailed reproductive management review across goat, sheep, and cattle contacts
  • Consultation with diagnostic lab and herd-health veterinarian on long-term eradication strategy
Expected outcome: Best chance of clarifying the full herd picture and reducing future outbreaks, though some pregnancies and weak kids may still be lost despite intensive management.
Consider: Highest cost range and more labor. Intensive testing may identify additional management changes, including segregation or culling decisions that are emotionally and financially difficult.

Cost estimates as of 2026-03. Actual costs vary by location, clinic, and individual case.

Questions to Ask Your Vet About Border Disease Virus in Goats

Bring these questions to your vet appointment to get the most out of your visit.

  1. Which samples give us the best chance of confirming pestivirus in this herd right now?
  2. Should we test aborted fetuses, placenta, the doe, the buck, or the surviving kids first?
  3. How do we identify whether any kids are persistently infected carriers?
  4. What other abortion diseases should we test for at the same time?
  5. Do we need to separate goats from sheep or cattle on this property?
  6. Which animals should be quarantined, retested, or removed from the breeding group?
  7. What supportive care is most helpful for weak or trembling kids at home?
  8. What biosecurity steps should we use for placentas, aborted material, kidding pens, and shared equipment?

How to Prevent Border Disease Virus in Goats

Prevention focuses on biosecurity and herd management. Buy animals from herds with a known health history, quarantine new arrivals, and discuss testing before adding them to the breeding group. Avoid housing or pasturing pregnant does with sheep, cattle, or goats of unknown pestivirus status, because cross-species transmission can occur with closely related viruses.

During kidding season, remove and dispose of placentas, aborted fetuses, and contaminated bedding promptly and safely. Clean and disinfect equipment, pens, feeders, and any surfaces exposed to birthing fluids. If a doe aborts or delivers weak kids, isolate that family group until your vet advises you on testing and next steps.

Long-term control often depends on finding and removing persistently infected animals. There is no widely used, goat-specific border disease treatment or prevention program that replaces testing and management. Some producer guidance notes that cattle BVD vaccines may help only if strains match, so vaccination decisions should be made with your vet rather than assumed to be protective. A practical prevention plan is herd-specific and should fit your breeding goals, facilities, and budget.

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