a little wigged out after visiting the 4h fair

eclipchic · #1 07/18/11, 08:20 AM

So I went to the local 4H fair around here and of course made a beeline to the goat pen. I was impressed with the number of Boers but dairy breeds were lacking in both numbers and good examples. Anyhow fast forward. I was petting a doeling nubian there and as my hand grazes her neck its covered in lumps....surely they wouldn't have brought a CL infected goat to the fair right? She had a lot of scarring below those lumps too.

So for me I have to wonder, don't they require some type of testing to enter the fair with animals?

Alice In TX/MO · #2 07/18/11, 08:28 AM

No they don't require testing, and fairs are *notorious* for being the source of disease. If you have a clean herd, you need to PLAN carefully how you will disinfect the pen your goats go into and how to protect your herd. It's called Biosecurity.

julieq · #3 07/18/11, 08:37 AM

We don't even attend fairs around here so we don't track anything home to our clean goats.

eclipchic · #4 07/18/11, 08:41 AM

I switch shoes at the door, none of my shoes that go outside of the home see the barn and vise versa. Our goats won't see the fair anyhow, our only kiddo is 2 ....we were kind of window shopping if you will. Looking to see what interests us as to consider adding next year to our menagerie.

how scary though, there must have been at least 8 goats in close contact with that one

freedomfrom4 · #5 07/18/11, 10:06 AM

My guys don't have lumps, but do have scabs all down the front of their chest and legs right now. I haven't checked the big ones, but the babies do anyway. Apperently they tangled with some thorns or stickers like roses or blackberries. I wouldn't be supprised if they didn't get infected some time. I wonder If that is what happened to that doe. And couldn't it be staph not cl.

Backfourty,MI. · #6 07/18/11, 10:16 AM

That's exactly why I never have taken any of our animals to the fairs & also change shoes when we get home before ever going to the barn.
Even when we visit farms around here I always wash the soles of our boots with bleach water when we come home. I know that sounds a little extremem but I'm always so worried about bringing something home from some place else.

Darren · #7 07/18/11, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

That's exactly why I never have taken any of our animals to the fairs & also change shoes when we get home before ever going to the barn.
Even when we visit farms around here I always wash the soles of our boots with bleach water when we come home. I know that sounds a little extremem but I'm always so worried about bringing something home from some place else.

I don't think it's extreme. While obliviousness to biosecurity may have not transmitted animal diseases, it's resulted in invasive plant species being brought into this county, killed one of the most biologically diverse streams in this state and resulted in the introduction of insect pests.

**mygoat** · #8 07/18/11, 02:06 PM

No animals with obvious CL lumps are allowed on the premisis when I was in 4h for the ONE year.

I quit because they called the disease 'abscesses' and were telling kids it was no big deal and is everywhere, and you should lance them at home!

They also had NO idea what I meant when I said CL, CAE, or Johne's. I knew more about goats than my supervisor. When I finally got someone to offer some pointers to me as I had never shown before, They were impressed I knew the parts of the goat without studying up before hand. They finally spared time to teach me how to show - the MORNING of the show. They didn't teach me a darned thing before or even then.

Boer goats were fed TONS of grain per day. Dairies were milked sparingly except at mandatory milk-out because they either had kids on them or were dry that year or they 'forgot'...? I did see some of the fattest nubians I have ever seen in my life. You could tell that parents owned the goats and they just got their kids to show them in 4-h - parents milked, fed, cleaned stalls, and the kids ran around screaming with the other kids. Everyone seemed suprised that I drove myself 2x per day to milk and care for my goat without family helping...

/end rant.

wendle · #9 07/18/11, 02:08 PM

Around here they have to have a health certificate from the vet to enter the fair. They must have scrapie tags and/or permanent tattoos.
We are starting to see the same thing here with less dairy and more boer goats. I have to say the one my daughter entered was about the worst it's ever been.

springvalley · #10 07/18/11, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

No they don't require testing, and fairs are *notorious* for being the source of disease. If you have a clean herd, you need to PLAN carefully how you will disinfect the pen your goats go into and how to protect your herd. It's called Biosecurity.

It would depend on your STATE, our fair requires health papers as does our state. They are very fussy around here, they don`t want anyones animals getting sick. I showed many years at our county fair and rarley had a problem. Things do happen, and I never lost an animal from being sick. The most trouble I ever had was young horses drinking the city water and getting tummy aches from the cholorine in the water. > Thanks marc

mammabooh · #11 07/18/11, 02:28 PM

That's the very reason that I will never take my goats to shows or to fairs. Our son wanted to enter a goat for 4-H in the fair this year, but I told him that if he took any animal to the fair, it would not be coming back home. He'll probably take a pig next year and sell it there.

**mygoat** · #12 07/18/11, 02:51 PM

I've never heard of a state that requires disease test results for CL, CAE, or Johne's. Not to mention any of the other communicable diseases except for, say, scrapies. That's about it.

houndlover · #13 07/18/11, 03:10 PM

Our county requires a health check. Local large animal vet and all his techs. Animals with visible abscesses are sent home. Lice is sent home. Snot is sent home. I've seen more than a few tears shed by kids who's animals didn't pass the health check.

coso · #14 07/18/11, 03:29 PM

The vet came around at our fair the other day and checked health papers and goats. Your frontline is really your people that check the goats in.

saanengirl · #15 07/18/11, 03:56 PM

CL lumps are not permitted at fairs in Georgia. The State Department of Agriculture sends inspectors to all shows and sales.

Alice In TX/MO · #16 07/18/11, 06:54 PM

A health certificate in Texas means that they don't have a fever when the vet looked at them or any obvious fatal disease. CL is not commonly talked about. It is accepted among MANY Boer breeders.

I'm glad SOME states and some fairs are getting smarter.

BethW · #17 07/18/11, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendle

Around here they have to have a health certificate from the vet to enter the fair.

Same here. DH and I still bleach our shoes as soon as we get home, though. Can't be too careful and it's easy enough to do.

PrettyPaisley · #18 07/18/11, 11:31 PM

Wow. I guess I should think twice about getting Paisley involved with 4-H.

It doesn't sound like it's worth the risk!

francismilker · #19 07/19/11, 09:03 AM

My county doesn't require any type of health certificates on anything other than a negative coggins on horses.

I've also heard lots of boer breeders make a comment like, "better get that wether to the sale barn before that CL kill's him." So, I guess they except it and go on.

dustin biery · #20 07/19/11, 02:06 PM

The panic that is spreading like wildfire here is part of the reason you see less and less in the fairs/shows. Do not misunderstand me, I understand biosecurity and the need to keep animals with disease away from the show/fair arenas. But until there is a point taken to bring such lumps as the OP stated to the superintendent and making a point to educate everyone involved there is only going to be fewer and fewer dairy breeders bringing animals to the fairs.