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How to identify it
- Goat follicle mite (demodectic mange): bumps and nodules in the skin, mostly on the face, neck, armpit area or udder, that can grow to about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) across. Each can hold several thousand mites, and nodules may burst and release them.[1]
- Scabies mite (sarcoptic mange): in heavy infestations, crusty sores and extensive hair loss around the muzzle, eyes and ears; sores on the inner thighs down to the hocks, the brisket, belly and armpits; thickened, wrinkled skin on the scrotum and ears; and dry, scaly skin, especially where hair is gone.[1]
- Psoroptic ear mite: crusts and a foul-smelling discharge in the ear canal. Goats scratch their ears and shake their heads, and badly affected animals can lose their balance or show neck muscle spasms.[1]
- Chorioptic scab mite: mild lesions mostly on the feet and lower legs, especially the forefeet around the accessory claws, that seldom draw attention.[1]
- Infested animals rub and scratch constantly because the mites cause intense irritation and itching.[2]
Look-alikes
| Look-alike | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| Goat lice | Lice also make goats itch, rub and lose hair, and infested goats often have a dull, matted coat. Biting lice feed on hair, scabs and skin flakes and sucking lice draw blood, while mange mites cause the nodules, crusts and ear or foot lesions described here.[1] |
Where it lives
Oklahoma State lists these four as the mites most commonly found on goats. The psoroptic ear mite is the most common mange mite of sheep and goats, with infestation rates as high as 90 percent reported in US dairy goats, and the chorioptic scab mite also infests cattle, sheep and horses.[1][2]
Biology and life cycle
Follicle mites live in hair follicles and gland ducts. When ducts become blocked, the mites are trapped and multiply inside the swelling. Kids usually pick them up within the first day after birth, and the mites also pass between goats through licking and close contact during mingling or mating.[1]
Demodectic mange is most common in young animals, pregnant does and dairy goats, and some breeds, such as Saanen, are much more sensitive than others.[1]
The scabies mite burrows into the skin. Burrowing mange mites make slender, winding tunnels from about 0.1 to 1 inch long, and the fluid seeping from the openings dries into nodules.[1][2]
The psoroptic ear mite does not burrow. It spends its whole life under the edges of scabs, piercing the outer skin layer; eggs hatch in about four days, a generation takes about three weeks, and it spreads by direct contact. Kids get it from their mothers and can show signs at three weeks old; by six weeks most kids in an infested herd carry it.[1]
The chorioptic scab mite lives mainly on the feet and legs. Females glue about one egg a day to the skin, laying 14 to 20 over two weeks or more; eggs hatch in four days and the cycle takes about three weeks. Up to 80 to 90 percent of the goats in a herd can carry it, and it tends to be heavier in goats than in sheep.[1]
Damage and signs
- Mange mites secrete a toxin that causes intense irritation, and infested goats rub and scratch continuously.[2]
- Chronic ear mite infestations can lead to anemia and weight loss.[1]
- Sarcoptic mange in goats often clears up without severe signs, but heavy infestations cause widespread crusting, hair loss and thickened skin.[1]
Health risk
Oklahoma State and UF/IFAS describe these mites as parasites of goats and other livestock. The scabies mite on this list, Sarcoptes scabiei, is the same species that burrows into the skin of people and many other mammals.[1][2][3]
Control
Prevention
Isolate new goats before they join the herd and watch them for at least a week for signs of mange.[1]
Pesticides
Treat every animal in the herd, not just the ones with signs; infestations are contagious.[1][2]
Plan a second treatment. Because some eggs hatch late, retreatment is needed 10 to 12 days after the first.[1][2]
Common questions
- Why is my goat shaking its head and scratching its ears?
- Psoroptic ear mites are a common cause. They cause crusts and a foul-smelling discharge in the ear canal, head shaking and ear scratching, and in severe cases loss of balance.[1][2]
- What are the lumps on my goat's face or udder?
- Firm skin nodules on the face, neck, armpit area or udder are typical of demodectic mange from the goat follicle mite. The nodules fill with mites as they grow and can burst, spreading mites to other goats.[1]
- Do I need to treat the whole herd for mites?
- Yes. Both Oklahoma State and UF/IFAS stress treating all animals in the herd, with a second treatment 10 to 12 days later to catch mites from eggs that hatch after the first.[1][2]
Sources
- Oklahoma State University Extension, “External Parasites of Goats, EPP-7019 (revised June 2015).” pods.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/EPP-7019pod2015.pdf (accessed 2026-11-08)
- University of Florida IFAS Extension, “External Parasites of Sheep and Goats, ENY-273 (P. E. Kaufman, P. G. Koehler and J. F. Butler; revised March 2006; archival copy).” journals.flvc.org/edis/article/download/115718/113947/165982 (accessed 2026-11-08)
- Parasites & Vectors (BioMed Central), “A review of Sarcoptes scabiei: past, present and future (L. G. Arlian and M. S. Morgan), Parasites & Vectors 10:297 (2017).” pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5477759/ (accessed 2026-11-08)
- iNaturalist, “Psoroptes cuniculi taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/395951 (accessed 2026-11-08)