Mooving With Our Livestock...

[DenMacII]

We are getting close to getting away from the Left Coast. We have a couple Low Line Angus Cattle, 3 Nigerian Dwarf Goat does, and a couple dozen heritage breed chickens.

We were planning on bringing our animals with us in a move to the mid west, but have recently heard that we have to fill out paperwork to transfer our livestock for each state that we pass through.

Is that true? Is it costly? Cumbersome?

We've figured that the cost of keeping them is a bit more than selling them and buying new livestock in our new location, but we have invested a great deal into the livestock we have and would prefer to keep them.

Please tell me this is not the case, or that it is a simple - not hassle process.

Thanks as always for your insight.

[ErinP]

You'll probably need a brand inspection (even if your inspector's form says nothing more than "No Brands"), and health certificates that your vet will provide. Things like Bangs vax tags, etc.

It's not particularly costly or cumbersome. It's just getting everything lined out. I don't THINK you need to have paperwork for every state but I sure won't swear to that.
I do, however, know that when we ship cattle across a few states they don't usually have do paperwork for each individual state...

[ghmerrill]

Usually if the animal is going to be in the state for less than 24 hrs, you dont have to have permits. Check with your state vet office, and they can give you more specifics. You will probably need a health certificate for the state you are moving to.

[MO_cows]

Check with the state vet's office for the state you are going to. The states you just pass thru shouldn't matter.

[ErinP]

Yeah, it will
Even if you're just passing through, most of the Western states will require, at the very least, that you have brand inspection papers when you're stopped for a scale, port of entry, or even just speeding.

[julieq]

Yep, we moved nigerian dwarf goats and horses via a professional livestock hauler from Alabama to Idaho years ago. The vet did all the paperwork for us, which included I'm sure Coggins on the horses and health certificates on everyone. The goats were already tested for TB and brucellosis, etc. He kenneled the cats and dogs and then a friend air shipped them later.

We drove half way across the country with a huge parrot that chattered the entire time and chewed a hole in the back of one of our leather high back van seats. We almost left him in Iowa...

Fortunately our move coming up early October is only an hour away and in the same state! Moving with livestock is a challenge.

[SFM in KY]

You need to check with the state vet's office in the state where you are going to find out what you will need on the livestock coming in to their state. I'm only familiar with horses, and from the western states you need a brand inspection, current Coggins and current health certificate ... some states want the Coggins within six months, others 1 year, health certificates are good for 10 days or 30 days, depending on the state. I'm not sure what the different states require on cattle, goats or chickens, but your local vet should be able to check with the destination state vet office and find out.

If you are hauling your own livestock, you normally are not required to stop at state lines/ port of entry stops. Those are usually for commercial haulers only although you will need the paperwork to show if requested.

[ErinP]

Originally Posted by SFM in KY

If you are hauling your own livestock, you normally are not required to stop at state lines/ port of entry stops. Those are usually for commercial haulers only although you will need the paperwork to show if requested.

Completely depends on what you're towing and where you're at.
Port of entries and scales often have signs specifically requiring "Pickups and trailers" to stop also, since most people assume only truck have to stop.

[oregon woodsmok]

Check with the state or federal vet and have a list of the states you are going through.

Normally, just a standard health certificate is all that is required, and it will be good everywhere.

Oregon requires proof of ownership and Coggins for horses. California requires Coggins for horses.

I've driven with livestock halfway across the country several times and it was no hassle, at least as far as the government and truck stops were concerned. Now, a place to stop for the night is a different matter.

[SFM in KY]

Originally Posted by ErinP

Completely depends on what you're towing and where you're at.
Port of entries and scales often have signs specifically requiring "Pickups and trailers" to stop also, since most people assume only truck have to stop.

It has been close to 10 years since I did any long distance hauling, so I know regulations may well have changed since then. When I was relocating from MT to KY and hauling my own horses (pickup and trailer) I started out stopping at the port of entry stops as I went into each state. What most states required at that time was that only commercial haulers stop, private haulers, those who were hauling only horses that belonged to them, were not required to stop.

California did require even private haulers to stop going into the state. I was also told that Florida had a similar requirement. Otherwise, none of the states I crossed required that private haulers stop. This may have changed since I stopped hauling.

[ErinP]

What most states required at that time was that only commercial haulers stop, private haulers, those who were hauling only horses that belonged to them, were not required to stop.

Precisely why you often see signs that specifically state "Pickups and trailers" because commercial is indeed more common. And so far as I know, it's not an "always" thing, but then a lot of scales aren't "always" things either. They just sent up for a day or two.

[DenMacII]

Not that this looks to be a huge hassle, but, I don't think I'm so attached to our animals, that it wouldn't be a whole lot easier to sell them here and buy new stock there.

While our cattle and goats are registered, they are not big-time show quality stock. I am guessing that there won't be much of a buy/sell price difference between the two states, and not covering the cost of travel would keep our costs down.

Any reason not to follow this plan? -- Sell stock here, not pay the costs for relocation, buy new stock there...which may help us make new contacts locally if we are buying from neighbors.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Our goats go with us spring and fall when we migrate from Missouri to Texas and back.

Get a health certificate from the vet. He comes out, looks at everything, fills out paperwork.

If your goats have tattoos, it's MUCH easier. Otherwise, they have to have scrapies tags.

[prairiedog]

We moved horses across the country was told we had to have a coggins test and would be required to stop and show it. So I got one stopped at the entry points and walked in to show it and they looked at me like I was crazy and didn't even look at the paper. After that I just moved them without anything. Not to say you shouldn't check out the regs and do what they say but the employees of these places just don't seem to care what the rules say.

[kenworth]

Not to say you shouldn't check out the regs and do what they say but the employees of these places just don't seem to care what the rules say.

That's just the thing. You never know what the POE people want. Sometimes they act like they could care less. Then again, I've had Canadian (CDL) driver friends say that upon US entry they even made them empty their fridges out.

It's a toss up with the "Bug Check". FL wants to run everyone through, and CA is also a toss up.

In a private vehicle, I would get health checks for my animals if I really wanted to keep them and then roll. Pay particular attention to the POE to see if it says ALL animals must stop. It's really no big deal, usually a few minutes and you're off if all paperwork is in order.

I guess my deciding factor would be 1. How much is the vet going to charge for the health certificates 2. Are you going to have to hire a livestock truck and 3. Are these animals replaceable or not? You may be better off like you said, to start with fresh stock in your new place.

If you knew the route you were taking, I'm pretty sure you could look up and see where the POE was at the state lines, and call and double check to see what paper work you need.


Sorry...POE=Port of Entry common term in western states. The POE does the same thing as a Weigh Station, just different termonology.

Scale Houses = weigh stations.

Bug Check (in addition to weigh stations) for FL and CA. Trucking terms.

[agmantoo]

I had a bull moved from the West coast to the East coast of the USA and the vet in California took care of all the requirements for animal health. The vet bill I got was for $75.

[Alice In TX/MO]

It costs me $75 for my whole goat herd's health cert. There's only ONE check station, going south on the Texas side of the border with Arkansas, and it's not manned regularly. The one time we were stopped, I had a health certificate, but it was more than 30 days old, and I had to get a new one when we got to our destination.

[cebmjb]

We moved with 1 quarter horse, 4 mini horses, 3 dogs and 1 cat alittle over 1200 miles. The dogs were fine since we made that trip back and forth at least 1 or 2 times each year. We were more concerned about the horses. They were all up to date with vet care. We had a 16 ft stock trailer and put the big girl in the front and the 4 minis in back.The night before we gave them all mineral oil. We have a motor home so we had our own water that they we used to. But the vet told us if they did not drink much put some gator ade in the water and rub some salt in their mouth. Since the mare is on the small side she could turn around and the minis had room to move around too. Only papers we had were their health papers from the vet andd the dogs had their rabies and licences. They took turns riding in the camper or one of the other trucks. Since we had plently of help we stopped only for diesel and to eat and took turns driving. Never unloaded the horses but checked on them all the time. They were all fine except the cat. He was horse from all the meowing and skinned his nose from the cage. Hope you have a safe trip!!!!

[jlrbhjmnc]

Ha ha - I just noticed the "mooving." Very cute. Best wishes for a safe and low stress move.

[DenMacII]

Glad you noticed. The third 'o' would have been too obvious.