At what age do you test for CAE, CL, and Jones?

[CrystalSN85]

I currently have 6 bottle baby Boers. Four came from one farm and two from another. I currently have the two form the other herd separated completely since they were rescues and I know nothing about where they came from, no tags, nothing. At what age can I do testing? I was considering doing testing for CAE and CL soon. Four are 8 weeks and two are 6 weeks. I figured I would test for Jones after they have been weaned since it can be found in cows milk which I feed them. Its impossible to run a test for every gallon I buy form the store.

 

[Southern by choice]

For CAE and CL they want a minimum of 6 months... personally I like the 8 month mark.
For Johnes they want 18 months.
No, you really cannot test the milk without the proper test equipment.

Keep in mind 1 time testing is not the most conclusive. You want to test annually. Each goat.

 

[CrystalSN85]

Keep in mind 1 time testing is not the most conclusive. You want to test annually. Each goat.

Does it have to be each goat individually? I was going to send it in groups. The four boys in one and then the brother and sister in another. If anything came back then I was going to test the group individually. Is this not acceptable?

 

[BoboFarm]

Not to hijack this thread but would you only test goats that you intend to keep? Would one test kids destined for the freezer or being sold?

 

[Southern by choice]

Because you are sending in a blood sample each is individual. CAE and CL are blood samples so you would be drawing blood from each goat.

Johnes has different ways - you can do serum (blood) or the most accurate way is fecal... it takes up to 16 weeks but is the most accurate way of testing for Johnes.
Johnes.org can give you the info you need.

@BoboFarm IMO testing whole herd is practical only because these diseases "shed". If any breeding stock them you would want clean animals... once foundation stock is established and just raising kids for freezer than no I wouldn't - they will be processed between 4-6 months. Animals you keep to breed or to sell as breeding stock IMO should be tested.

 

[CrystalSN85]

Okay, I read somewhere that some people pool the blood samples and just mark what animals went with each sample. It could have been for something completely different. I have read so much. lol

@BoboFarm That probably would have been my next question. Thanks for asking.
@Southern by choice What does IMO stand for? I'm not up-to-date on all the abbreviation lingo. lol

 

[Southern by choice]

I have never heard of pooling blood. The fecal- yes.
IMO = In My Opinion

 

[CrystalSN85]

Okay, I only have 6 right now, so it isn't that big a deal to test each one. I might do some research on it for future knowledge when I grow my heard. Might save some money since I plan on having 60+ does minimum. That's a lot of tests each year. After I reach a certain number I would like to close my herd. Which leads me to my next question. Once I close my herd would it still be necessary to test every year? Maybe test for a couple years in a row after to be sure, then every so many years?

 

[Southern by choice]

CAE should be done EVERY year! Especially CAE!
"Titers" can change over years especially on aged does.

Use a GOOD lab, not some of these cheapo places... been seeing many animals not accurately represented by their testing.

We tend to break ours up. Does at one time of the year, generally before breeding... Bucks later, after rut... or April -June when their neck isn't so swollen from rut.

 

[BoboFarm]

Is there a better time to test?