My head is spinning..

[Shayanna]

When it comes to testing. Through Biotracking its $4 for the CAE test, and they will forward blood to WADDL for CL testing for another 10 dollar a fee, but you still have to pay all the WADDL fees. Great. Through WADDL, its 9.45 for CL testing/animal, CAE is 6.30/animal, and 10 dollars for submission. Plus shipping. however much that is. Isn't blood illegal to ship? how must it be labeled through fedex?
And what about Brucella... Should I test for that? Is there a TB testing?
But THEN I see that there is the:
Caprine/Ovine Biosecurity Screen:
-Small Ruminant Lentivirus (CAE/OPP) (ELISA)
-CL (SHI)
-Johne's (ELISA)
14.70
22.50

I mean then atleast I have one more disease tested for for not much more... And after Minelson's tragedy, I really want to cover all bases.

Wouldn't doing all WADDL be the better deal? Is there testing accurate? I mean, I'm 100% sure my gals are pregnant so I guess I don't really NEED biotracking...

Please help me do some math here, I think I'm losing it. Labs and supplies and shipping, Oh My.

[Minelson]

No it is not illegal to ship blood. I would use the WADDL testing for the CL/CAE/Johnes. They have instructions on shipping and the forms you need to fill out on their website.

[LoneStrChic23]

I use Biotracking because I like to track titers on yearly CAE test and because, unlike WADDL, they offer pregnancy testing and I do my pregnancy/CAE at the same time. Every time I pull blood, I'm not worried about CAE coming back positive, I know they'll be negative, I just tack it on because I'm testing for pregnancy. I'm ALWAYS nervous about the pregnancy results

I ship in a flat rate box from the PO & it's none of their business what I'm shipping. Biotracking gives shipping/packaging instructions on their website, and I follow those instructions, except I don't write "exempt animal specimen" on the outside of the box. There is no risk of leaking when packaged properly.

I don't test yearly for CL. I test all new purchases the day I unload them, and again 6 months later and that's it.... If a buyer wants it done prior to purchase, I will pull blood and send it to WADDL. No biggey.

[Shayanna]

Thank you. Now how do you hold them still for the blood draw?

[yarrow]

I do my samples exactly like Crystal.. I DO NOT write anything about bio hazard or animal specimens on the side.. I take the vials, roll them in paper towels, bundled tightly and put them into a ziplock bag.. no clanking together together or breaking.. I put my paper work and the sample baggies into a bigger bag ... and just use flat rate box from the Post Office.. (Got the pregnancy results friday evening.. They even called me to make sure I got the email. I was reading the email at the same time they called LOL)... I always worry and fret over the pregnancy results, so I was really happy to see that ALL the does came back PREGNANT!!!) ... the CAE results will come in this afternoon.. (those I don't worry at all about, we've done annual tests for so many years.. I keep thinking some year I'll save the money and not do them, but I always send in blood for pregnancy tests, so what's an extra $4 for CAE???)... I'm just happy that we've gotten EVERYONE tested for G6S, so I'm not shelling out over $40 PER goat/per test this year!!! (all the kids born will be NORMAL by parentage, so my buyers won't have to test either)..

How do we hold them still??? LOL.. I have the vet out (I can do it, but he's quicker then I am).. so the kids catch, I hold the head.. he stabs.. works out well for all of us. (he only charges me $5 a goat- no farm call/ he supplies the vials ect. so it is worth it, to have the extra hands)

susie, mo ozarks

[Alice In TX/MO]

The Biotracking website has explicit and excellent labeling instructions.
http://www.biotracking.com/?q=goats/biopryn/shipping

Here's the blood draw website I learned from:
http://www.boergoats.com/clean/articleads.php?art=64

[Blue Run Farm]

I do the packaging just like in the instructions Alice posted. I write "Exempt Animal Specimen" right on the box and have never had a problem. In fact, when I drop it at the post office and they ask if there is anything breakable, yadda yadda, in there, I say "it's vials of goat blood for testing" and they send it right through. I have never had a post office worker even raise an eyebrow.

When I first got my dairy girls, my vet had me test for TB and Johne's. So I know there is a test for those. But that was before I knew I could send in blood myself, so he sent it in for me. I haven't tested for those again, since I don't go to shows or bring in lots of new animals and there are no other goats or cattle in the near area to transmit disease to my herd. I do send in samples to biotracking for pregnancy and CAE testing each year. This year I ended up sending in the blood just for CAE testing, since I had a vet come and ultrasound the girls. I had a feeling about Skittles and didn't want to wait for the blood test (I was right, no babies, but it all worked out and she is with Beccachow as a pet now )

[KrisD]

I use Panamerican vet labs
Www.pavlab.com

[beccachow]

(a lovely pet, indeed!)