Moving our goats 2,000 miles

[DenMacII]

What are your recommendations for long distance travel for goats. We are bringing three Nigerian Dwarf does, one buck, and one wether. I have room to either keep them together in a compartment in our stock trailer, or put them into smaller kennels. It will be about 36-40 hours, including gas and rest stops of driving. How would I best handle food & water since they will be confined for so long?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Absolutely stock trailer compartment. I move mine 700 miles in the spring and fall.

1. Deworm them 10 days before the trip and again day you load. You don't want to import a high worm load to your new property.
2. Provide hay in a safe rack (not a hay net) during the whole trip.
3. Provide water at each rest stop. Truck stops have water faucets available. Regular gas stations may not. Be sure it is potable water. Some water faucets are labeled NOT for drinking.
4. Stop regularly. I stop at least every four hours. This gives the animals a stress break.

[Cannon_Farms]

i wouldnt kennel them even just for a couple hours its almost impossible for them to get comfortable and stay dry based on my personal experience even with a thick layer of bedding there is just no where for urine and feces to go really.
I would , providing the compartment is big enough for them to lay down and turn around without bumping each other. I would offer them water when you stop but not leave water in there with them because it will just make a mess. Use a hay bag (not a net) and keep hay available to them.
Bedding I would use a bag of the compressed pellet bedding on bottom then a bag of flake shavings on top, I dont like straw but it may make them more comfortable.
Not knowing what type of trailer you have to know what the compartment is you can get a thermometer that is made to be outside but has a receiver that is made to go in the house, considering the heat index out west you may want to get one of those to keep an eye on the temp in the cab of the truck.
Oh and take water from home they often wont drink strange water.

[o&itw]

Will they need papers? I'm thinking stock crossing state lines usually has to have some kind of vet records saying they are free of certain diseases.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Yes. To comply with the law, they have to have a Health Certificate issued by a veterinarian within 30 days prior to travel.

They also must have either:
1. Scrapies ear tags
2. Registration tattoos and registration papers.

The ear tag numbers or tattoo info will be on the health certificate.

It costs me $75 for the health certificate.

[Cannon_Farms]

our state vet told me that a new USDA law requires you to have a scrapies number , if the goats do not have a tattoo and papers they must have a tag in their ear, if you have tattoo and registration papers you must still have a number. so if a registered doe with kids whos kids are not registered yet those kids according to the USDA must have a tag.
Contact your state vet if your vet doesnt know as its fairly new just put on the books last fall I think, bunch of you know what if you ask me but what can you do.

[o&itw]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Yes. To comply with the law, they have to have a Health Certificate issued by a veterinarian within 30 days prior to travel.

They also must have either:
1. Scrapies ear tags
2. Registration tattoos and registration papers.

The ear tag numbers or tattoo info will be on the health certificate.

It costs me $75 for the health certificate.

Each animal? ----------------

[DenMacII]

I want to give a big Thank You to all who provided information for our move. I'm sorry it took so long to follow up. It's been a crazy few weeks.

I have an 18' 1986 Delta Stock trailer that has a partition separating the front and the back. We loaded our bull and one cow in the front (for weight placement), then I split the back section using 2X4's and field fence with separate gates to exit so I could have the LGD's next to the goats and visible, but be able to let the dogs out to do business without having a widespread goat jail break.

All the animals received a health check clearance from our Vet. We did not need to have the Scrapies tags as all the goats were registered through the ADGA and tattooed.

The trip could not have gone more smoothly. The goats were definitely stressed for the first day - Winding through the Sierras will do that to you!!! By the end of the day they were taking water, and eating.

We made it to Missouri safe and sound - and the trip seems to have bonded the goats and dogs together better. They have great pasture here - it's great to see them munching away!!!

Thanks again for all the input. It did make the move much easier than it could have been.