[smudger]

TB, CAE and how frequently are they required?

Also vaccination costs?

If you were buying untested stock what precautions would you take?

thx

[jinglejoys]

Never test as my goats have never drunk milk from other goats
  About 20yrs ago someone wanted to use one of my males but insisted on the CAE thingy.I said if they wanted him tested they'd have to pay for it which they agreed to and I took him in.Cost £20!!!!!!!!!!   He didn't have it of coarse but as I had 70 goats at that time there was no way I could afford to contribute to the vets expensive posh car at £1400 every 6mnths!

[Anke]

CAE - done annually to all your stock if you want to mate to external male and/or want to show your goats. I personally would not buy an animal from an untested herd, even though CAE is now rare in the UK it is just one less risk factor. Kids are "travelling" on their dam's certificate for the first year. It is best to have all your stock tested just before the first one is due to kid, then if you loose an adult during kidding you still have the certificate for the kid(s). Discuss costs with your vet, he will take samples (best to take your goats in to surgery for that if possible) and send them off to SAC Inverness.

TB - I don't test regularly, as we are in Scotland.

Vaccinations: mine get Lambivac, after the initial 2 doses 4- 6 weeks apart it is a 6 monthly booster. If you make sure that you use a fresh/sterile needle and quickly re-seal your bottle with tape, you can store it in the fridge and use until finished. Otherwise it gets expensive quickly... If you buy in stock - unless the seller can tell you exactly what vaccines they had when, I would just repeat the inital two doses and then integrate into my system. That also applies if you move from Heptavac to Lambivac or vice versa.

Worm any incoming stock with an ivermectin on arrival (or even better on loading into the trailer before setting off from seller), thne keep inside for a few days and do worm count before letting out onto your clean pasture.

[wytsend]

CAE is rare  but in actual fact, about 8% of the goat population in UK are believed to either have it or are carriers.

Jinglejoys........ drinking milk from infected goats is only one route of transmission and in fact a minor one.   The usual transmission is a sexually transmitted one........ effectively HIV in goats.

The more goats that are tested, the cheaper it gets.  Lab fees for more than 10 goats is £5.30 +VAT per sample.

The trouble with CAE is that by the time you find out that your goat has it at around 5-6 years old,  the disese has been spread by her kids far and wide.

The time hascome to be responsible and eradicate this awful disease.

[Penninehillbilly]

I've finally found the bill from last year -
for 2 goats unfortunately it was urgent to get them tested so I could get them to a male before he moved on, no transport available at the time so extra costs in the farm call out.
testing was              £21
lab costs sent to SAC 25.20   interesting because the price was on the results faxed to me from SAC- £14.60 !
farm visit                    26.50
total about     £72 (inc VAT)
As far as I know it only needs to be done once a year unless in the BGS scheme?

To use a decent billy (which is even more important to be tested?) females should be tested, so I presume it is being kept going in the ones who use the billy 'down the road' ? 

[smudger]

Thx all. I spoke to my vet and she said  about £100 with two vet visits, so taking them to the vets to be tested sounds the better option!

[wytsend]

Yes take them to Vets for only 2 goats.... it isn't worth the visit fee.

Why 2 visits ?   Bloods is taken once & the results are sent by post.

[plumseverywhere]

Thx all. I spoke to my vet and she said  about £100 with two vet visits, so taking them to the vets to be tested sounds the better option!

Its interesting how the cost varies really. I had my 2 ewes and nanny scanned by the vet in Feb and asked him to CAE the preg goat same time.
I paid £20 for farm visit. £9 for blood test and this week received an £11 invoice for lab costs.
The farm visit covered entire visit so didn't need to pay for each animal.

[countrywoman]

I'm getting my two girls CAE tested next week, plus worming advice for them and kids etc.  Don't know what testing will cost yet but my vet has routine visits by area on a specific day of week with no visit charge.  You book a visit in advance and the day before they send a text with approximate time.  They do a lot of horse-work at this practice and everyone uses them for vaccinations because of this service, so by word of mouth they get recommended to lots more people.  I know at least ten people who have chaged to them just from my mentioning this!

[Penninehillbilly]

What a good idea!
sounds like everyone gains something from this system, the vet saves time from different cal outs gains clients, passes some savings onto to owners, think I'll mention this to our vet!

[smudger]

Reason for two visits was we were talking about TB primarily.

[wytsend]

There is no requirement to test goats for TB....omy if they have been in contact with infected cows

[Dogwalker]

Is that close contact or next field contact??

[Goat-Lady]

I have always find by having the vet visit the farm he also cast an over all other stock answers any questions and health check my only lady (goat) now 12 1/2 year old. Also to trailer to the practise 12 plus goats would have to be done in 2 trip, so not economical.

[wytsend]

TB contact is usually deemed to be sneezing distance.      If any cattle were reactors on the next door farm, then the possibility is that any goats in the adjacent field would be considered for free testing anyway.

If you have concerns, then contact Animal Health at your nearest office,....... they will keep you informed & include your holding on the testing routine should a reactor be found.   You might have to be VERY positive about it but it can be done.