Moving checklist.

[messybun]

The goats would travel well in a stock trailer. A hay bag, feed and water when you stop for the night and padlock the gate because people are stupid.

How many miles, how many days?

It can be done all in one trip. Goats might have to live in a small temporary pen for awhile, but they would be ok.

Over 1,000 miles, probably closer to 2,000. Depending on where we find a house. Texas is the top but Arizona isn’t out of the running. Lot of unknowns. About 3 days of travel straight, we usually take a little longer though.

 

[Ridgetop]

We don’t have a livestock vet. The nearest one doesn’t like to (when I say don’t like I mean they don’t) take on new patients either. That may have changed recently, so I’ll have to call around. The best bet is to wait for the once or twice a year the mobile vet comes around, but it’s a long shot to get in.

First call the USDA for the state you are moving to. They will tell you what you will need to bring in livestock. There are different requirements for each species. Some of the tests must be negative within a certain number of weeks of the move, which means that unless the bi-annual mobile vet visits within the time frame it won't help you. Some of the tests st be sent to a lab so it will ake several days or weeks to get the results back, meaning you will have to figure how much time before you leave you need to do the tests. If it is for a herd health check for someone that is leaving the state, the local vet might do it for you as a one-time thing.

You will also need to check on whether you need to comply on health requirements (certificates) for each state you plan to travel through. Also do the states require transport slips? You need to make sure that you have proveable ownership paperwork on the animals - registration papers or bills of sale with you as owner that conform to tatoos, ear tags, microchips, or animal identification, etc.

About 3 days of travel straight, we usually take a little longer though.Sudden change in water

Always pack enough food and water for a longer trip than you anticipate. Bring gallons of water from your own home to gradually get them used to different water. All water is different and has a different odor depending on the minerals in it. Animals can get sick drinking strange water they are not used to. Also bring at least 2 weeks of hay and feed with you since you will want to gradually shift them from your hay and grain to the new stuff available in your location.

If you don't have a stock trailer, check with the various animal shipping companies for quotes on shipping your livestock. It might be cheaper than buying a trailer, etc. You will still need to provide the health docs though.

 

[messybun]

First call the USDA for the state you are moving to. They will tell you what you will need to bring in livestock. There are different requirements for each species. Some of the tests must be negative within a certain number of weeks of the move, which means that unless the bi-annual mobile vet visits within the time frame it won't help you. Some of the tests st be sent to a lab so it will ake several days or weeks to get the results back, meaning you will have to figure how much time before you leave you need to do the tests. If it is for a herd health check for someone that is leaving the state, the local vet might do it for you as a one-time thing.

You will also need to check on whether you need to comply on health requirements (certificates) for each state you plan to travel through. Also do the states require transport slips? You need to make sure that you have proveable ownership paperwork on the animals - registration papers or bills of sale with you as owner that conform to tatoos, ear tags, microchips, or animal identification, etc.


Always pack enough food and water for a longer trip than you anticipate. Bring gallons of water from your own home to gradually get them used to different water. All water is different and has a different odor depending on the minerals in it. Animals can get sick drinking strange water they are not used to. Also bring at least 2 weeks of hay and feed with you since you will want to gradually shift them from your hay and grain to the new stuff available in your location.

If you don't have a stock trailer, check with the various animal shipping companies for quotes on shipping your livestock. It might be cheaper than buying a trailer, etc. You will still need to provide the health docs though.

How do I get those papers? We’ve bought all our goats with cash handed on time of sale, mostly from local farmers who have probably never kept records. Not shady, just a small town(used to be) where everyone knows everyone and only so many people have goats. Then, there’s the born here. No ear tags, no tattoos. Nothing on anybody. No bill of sale or anything. I have about 7 years worth of pictures though, if that helps. Don’t know how else to prove ownership. Thanks, I never thought of needing to do that.

 

[Ridgetop]

Any place to buy ear tags? Sheep breeders? Do you have a tattoo kit? Or check with livestock catalogs to see if you can buy 10 tags and a tagger. Or ask the vet and have them microchipped. Record the chip number on a typed ownership record putting in the dates (approximately) when you bought them. I would worry more about having scrapie tags though. Check with USDA what is actually needed for transport across state lines. You can also get transport slips from local cattle barns. That might be all you would need along with the health certificates. But each health certificate must identify the animal by a permanent ID, that is where the tags or tattoos come in.

 

[Alaskan]

Any place to buy ear tags? Sheep breeders? Do you have a tattoo kit? Or check with livestock catalogs to see if you can buy 10 tags and a tagger. Or ask the vet and have them microchipped. Record the chip number on a typed ownership record putting in the dates (approximately) when you bought them. I would worry more about having scrapie tags though. Check with USDA what is actually needed for transport across state lines. You can also get transport slips from local cattle barns. That might be all you would need along with the health certificates. But each health certificate must identify the animal by a permanent ID, that is where the tags or tattoos come in.

Is that I new-ish law?

When we moved our horses they were described in their health papers.... but no brand, tattoo, chip... whatever.

Of course... that was maybe 15 years ago

 

[Baymule]

Some states have restrictive laws. Some don’t.

 

[messybun]

Any place to buy ear tags? Sheep breeders? Do you have a tattoo kit? Or check with livestock catalogs to see if you can buy 10 tags and a tagger. Or ask the vet and have them microchipped. Record the chip number on a typed ownership record putting in the dates (approximately) when you bought them. I would worry more about having scrapie tags though. Check with USDA what is actually needed for transport across state lines. You can also get transport slips from local cattle barns. That might be all you would need along with the health certificates. But each health certificate must identify the animal by a permanent ID, that is where the tags or tattoos come in.

Yes, I can buy those at the feed store. I’ll do what I have to do, But I really wish there was a non-permanently altering identification for my animals ya know.
And no local cattle barn. Nearest livestock auction is a couple hours away, and they don’t even do cattle on the regular. Would that maybe work?

 

[messybun]

Alright. Got a more definite moving date. About two years from now.
Why, you may ask? I realized that real estate was not for me. So, like any sane person, I decided to become a nurse. Surprisingly, I’m not hating college just yet, thought I would. In any case, NC is way easier to get into a nursing program, and works out to about a year or two less total time(less prerequisites, better candidate to seat ratios and less credit hours).
So, that means in the meantime I have some time to figure out a heck of a lot. Apparently backyard animals take way more to transport than initially thought, thanks y’all for the help so far. And, apparently, the livestock auction does give out certificates, so that’s great.
I thought I had a decent handle on my animal care after having them eight years, apparently there’s more to figure out than I ever knew possibly could need figured out.
In the meantime, that’s two years (or as fast as I can go through) to trim down excess and prepare to move.

 

[Mini Horses]

Wow! A huge change . Good luck with school...learn allergy controls and you won't need to move. . But yes, moving animals over state lines has controls. And YES they do check you at the stop points.....or send a cop if you don't stop.

 

[messybun]

Wow! A huge change . Good luck with school...learn allergy controls and you won't need to move. . But yes, moving animals over state lines has controls. And YES they do check you at the stop points.....or send a cop if you don't stop.

Hope there’s not a personal story in that one! Lol.

Hey, it’s been eight years and every imaginable cure or relief pretty much has been tried.
Between sowing fields right next to our house or the constant humidity and mold. My fam just can’t breathe. Any suggestions they’ll try, but nothing really seems to have worked.