Is it possible?

Haven · #1 10/22/10, 12:06 PM

The last few months I have been researching as much as possible and visiting a lot of websites looking at various animals for sale.

I have noticed that on most dairy sites, the for sale animals are usually listed as being from a herd tested for CL or CAE. I remember someone on here saying that meat goats are considered a terminal breed, so often times, they are not tested.

In the beginning I was really hoping to be able to start out with a foundation animals from tested herds, but at this point it it looking like that may be impossible with meat goats.

Are the people showing meat goats really paying thousands of dollars for totally untested breeding and show stock? I am assuming most herds are going to be carrying these diseases. How does this impact breeding animals that they want to keep around? How is it possible to find a herd sire that has been tested?

I spoke with a Boer breeder at a sale a week ago and he told me he doesn't sell his goats at auction because of the diseases that pass through the sale barn, then went on to tell me he has purchased animals at a sale barn...???

I'm just trying to put this in perspective since it seems to be such a big deal among dairy herds (because of milk production) yet I never see any mention of it on any meat sites I visit. Maybe I am missing something here...

T.Miller · #2 10/22/10, 12:45 PM

Check here www.copper-penny-ranch.com. Camille is copperpennykids on here. She has saanens and boers and I'm pretty sure she test both herds.
Terry

dosthouhavemilk · #3 10/22/10, 01:24 PM

There are meat breeders in Ohio that test.
Most of them were dairy breeders at one point (and some do both).
We test for CAE and we raise a number of the kids on CAE Prevention each year.
I just helped a local Boer breeder pull blood on her herd for CL (all negative). She had already tested for CAE (all negative).
She's actually headed out today to buy a senior Boer buck from a clean Boer herd.
We will be getting our next Fullblood Boer buckling from her. I will be able to hand raise him and disbud him. And he will be from clean tested stock. Those are all not easy to get from one local herd.
Clean/tested meat herds do exist.
CAE doesn't pass as quickly in meat herds (dam raising as opposed to pooled milk) and the (15%) symptomatic does tend to be culled for low production or arthritis.
CL is just scary and more rampant in our area than I like to think about. Thankfully we managed to avoid it. We lucked out in that department considering how we started the herd back in 1996.
I am not bringing in new meat cross does at this point and will only bring in clean Boer stock and clean Nubian does from now on.
I'm sending nice Boer cross doelings to the meat market this year because I could not find enough buyers. I refuse to send them through the local sale barn because I do not want locals getting them for a song and then not wanting to pay what I am asking. That and they will most likely end up loaded up and taken to the sale I would send them to anyways and I would lose money in the bargain.
We have been able to get over $100 on some of this year's doelings at the Auction we send to in PA. I'm asking less for the doelings off the farm.

April · #4 10/22/10, 01:33 PM

Couldn't you have the animals you want to purchase tested yourself?

Goat Servant · #5 10/22/10, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by April

Couldn't you have the animals you want to purchase tested yourself?

Yes it is done. We have ours tested, all clean. I know many Boer breeders who have their herds tested regularly.

Pony · #6 10/22/10, 03:21 PM

Ozark Jewels has gotten out of meat goats, but I am sure that hers were tested and cleared.

Can't remember who in MI bought out half her herd. The other half went to her sister.

There are folks who work hard to develop healthy CAE free herds.

IMO and IME, it's worth the drive to get solid foundation stock.

Haven · #7 10/22/10, 07:46 PM

Thank you all very much for the info. I will be sure to contact you guys privately for more info in the spring. It's nice to know it is possible..I was really starting to wonder based on what I have been seeing.

We do want to buy somewhat locally so the animals don't have to go through a lot of transition as far as climate and pasture they are used to, if that makes sense...