Johnes Disease

secuono said:

Your guess is as good as mine!

I'm hoping to have my flock tested for Johnes and OPP next year, just have to find a vet that is experienced with sheep and not just putting me on hold to "Google it"! I can do that myself...lol.

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Drawing your own blood is very easy. First step ... where are you sending the testing?
Sheep may be harder if they have their full fleece. Best time is after shearing. Also if they are real flighty. But once you have hold of them it is't bad. Actually may be easier to tip them. Still will take 2 people.

Will you do serum check or collective fecal for Johnes?

I could never get it right, blood drawing that is, that's why I need a good vet. Plus, it's just me, DH would make things worse. =/

Have you checked with your closest vet school? Maybe even your extension service can do it or recommend someone.

The wife has been in the medical field for over 25 years. She's done it all. I think she could draw in animals,now actually getting her to do it is a goat of a different color. I have done it in dogs.

Scooby308 said:

The wife has been in the medical field for over 25 years. She's done it all. I think she could draw in animals,now actually getting her to do it is a goat of a different color. I have done it in dogs.

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Draws on goats are easier than in dogs. LOL
How is your search going? If you find some good ""clean" herds you will have to let me know.

At this point in thinking of raising horses. No money in it, but at least I know what I am doing and can find good ones. Plus I have an Amish community here to trade with. Lol. Still waiting for a date to visit a lady that has Nubians and a supposed dairy setup.

No money it... yep same with goats.
Difference= goat vet bills < horse vet bills.

I know there's no money in any if it. Seriously considering turning the whole farm into a hayfield. At least i can make money off that...until the machinery breaks down, I have to re seed, build hay sheds,...is there any money in farming? Not on a small scale. Just looking at something that will help self sufficiency. Thinking full sized Nubs but that may be too big.

So... if you get Nubians I can get offspring from you. Then I can breed for minis and have does to breed to my mini buck... See its a plan!
That is why we have goats... milk, cheese, and meat. I wish I had the land to hay.

Sitting at the doctor now. See, you always have something that keeps you away from farming.

I've actually been really lucky with my hay field. I didn't cut it the first couple of years. Then I bushhogged it 2-3 times a year. Then 3 years ago a guy offered to cut it on the halves, he roll baled. So I said take it all. The next year farmer down the road told me what a roll of bad hay brought and I thought, I could have made money... So the last 2 years my neighbor has been baling and selling it and I get half the profits. Win win for me.

The lucky part is it hasn't needed to be reseeded in all this time. It is getting some problem spots that need to be dealt with. But it has never been chemically treated for weeds or fertilized. I'm actually thinking of cutting it short this year and reseeding with more alfalfa and timothy.