Health check before harvesting

[DHN]

I intend (still have not succeeded in hunting yet) to do some health checks once i get a deer, pig or goat, to reduce chance of catching any diseases or parasites (where possible or to atleast reduce risk) before harvesting the meat for later consumption by myself and family. (Also if i find a diseased animal, i would report to DPI as part of harvest return, where it asks about it).

Such as:
1. Use an Infrared thermometer to check temperature. I plan a first external check and if other checks ok to perhaps check liver temperature. Check against normal ranges. Normal range for goat also depends on if has water and time of day. Obviously also by how long after death.

2. Check for ticks and other parasites, sores or anything viewable on external of animal. Questions: where do ticks usually go on body? How many ticks do you think would still be acceptable? Any other signs of parasites you can suggest? Any observable marks on fecal exit point or other location?

3. Visual checks of organs such as cysts on liver.

4. Any other suggestions for what to check? Hoffs? Mouth? Eyes? ? ? Perhaps can add suggestions to this thread or add photos of diseased animals you have hunted and explain issue etc.

5. Perhaps other things, such as behavoral changes that could be observed before shooting the animal. For example do goats reject sick goats from herd (as in it is a loner)?

I look forward to suggestions

[Blr243]

Perhaps being shot might do something to a deers current normal temperature. I don’t butcher enough animals to know what looks abnormal and what doesn’t. I think one has to constantly see good heath during butchering for a good while to be able to pick something unusual ...... I have used a rifle bow and stuck pigs caught by dogs and carried pigs and deer back to camp for a hell of a long time and I was not careful at all when I was younger I got a stack of blood on me ,,,,ate plenty of deer and young pigs too .... never had an issue. Maybe I was just lucky. I advise to be careful because I heard about a pro pig/ roo bloke who caught leptospirosis.....he spent time in hospital and told me that he thought he was going to die

[sungazer]

The main one are worms a fluke. fluke being more in wet areas. If you can see it, dont eat it. Other wise the best treatment is like in third world countries and just adopt a routine of every six months to a year take a tablet. its just one tablet and they are only $1 kills most of the worms.