CAE positive wether?

[DW Farms]

What is your opinion on keeping a CAE wether?

Adam

[sungirl]

What will be used for? I would butcher him, as hard as it might be. Chances are he may infect the rest of the herd.

[cathleenc]

I might keep him - but you should accept responsibility for being his final home. If wethers are hard to rehome imagine trying to place a CAE+ wether.

[DW Farms]

Well, They arent mine and they are actually borderline. They are pack and harness goats, and are about 4 years and 9 years. Just wanted some opinions, I though that CAE could only be transfer thru milk

Adam

[deafgoatlady]

Yeah CAE does come thru the milk. BUT if wether fight with other goat and bleed and it does transfer thru blood too.

[DW Farms]

Oh ok, So it can be transfered thur blood as well

Adam

[jBlaze]

If you only have them, then you don't have to worry about them infecting others.
What a perfect home for cae+ goats.

[mpete]

I thought it could be transferred through any body fluid, like slobber,milk, etc. so a shared water trough is bad. You would have to consider the other goats he would be exposed to.

[southerngurl]

No, it has to be the white blood cells, which are also in the milk. I read that if it gets in water, the cells will burst and the virus is actually killed in water.

[mpete]

well that's good to know... thanks...

[jBlaze]

From the Washington State University CAE 2007 up-date site:

The CAE virus is intimately associated with white blood cells; therefore, any body secretions which contain white blood cells are potential sources of virus to other goats in the herd.

What are the major means of spread of the virus?
The CAE virus is primarily transmitted to kids via colostrum in the first few feedings after birth. Blood (e.g., contaminated instruments such as needles, dehorners, etc, and open wounds) is regarded as the second most common way of spread. Contact transmission between adult goats is considered to be rare except during lactation.

What does a positive or negative mean?
A positive result means the goat has been infected with the CAE virus and has made antibodies reactive with the CAE antigens used in this test. This goat is regarded as potentially contagious for the virus, especially if lactating. The antibody against CAE is not a protective antibody, and although strong antibody reactions may be detected in this test, infectious virus can still be spread in milk and blood of this goat. As many as 90% of positive goats may be free of clinical signs of the disease, and remain so for years or life.

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts_waddl/caefaq.aspx

[DQ]

I am of the opinion that a symptom free goat is a healthy goat and can be a perfectly good useful animal. basic precautions of pulling and bottlefeeding kids seem appropriate for positive does other than that it is not any more transmissable than aids and you don't see people freaking out about people with hiv in the general community (at least since the initial panic) and I although I have none as of yet I wouldn't worry over a cae positive but symptom free animal in the general herd population. keep them, use them, enjoy them and if they get sick put them down.