Clinical Assistant Professor City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Abstract: Background - Veterinary care for domestic ruminants in Hong Kong has historically been limited. In August 2023, the first non-governmental ambulatory veterinary service for domestic ruminants was established, offering free services. Objectives - To describe the farms visited and the services requested from the Ruminant Ambulatory Service (RAS). Animals & Methods - This retrospective observational study reviewed reports of veterinary visits to local farms from August 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024. The description and number of farms, animals, and consultations were recorded. Results - The RAS had 32 clients (goats, n=30; sheep, n=3; cattle, n=3; alpacas, n=2), including 93.8% (30/32) of leisure or educational farms. The median goat herd size was 8.5 (range: 1-250). A total of 439 consultations were conducted (herd health visits, n=108; individual animal visits, n=331). Goat herds accounted for 90.7% (98/108) of herd health visits, which included vaccinations, deworming, and pregnancy diagnoses. The most common reasons for individual animal visits were skin conditions (excluding foot conditions; 20.8%, 69/331) and animal health certification (16.6%, 55/331). In goats, the most frequent individual dermatological diagnoses were wounds (n=16), pediculosis (n=11), and myiasis (n=7). Conclusions and Clinical Importance - Local farmers have preferentially shown an interest in preventive medicine and care of animals showing obvious clinical signs. Future studies will involve questionnaires to investigate the cultural motivations and expectations of Hong Kong ruminant farmers regarding veterinary care.
