GOATS: CAE and the chances.

[dot n'dave]

My father is buying goats from a pretty reputable breeder in the next few weeks. When we visited the farm, they mentioned that they have found some of their goats positive with CAE. She also said it is very common.
What my question is, how common is this really? Was it a good sign that she was honest about it?
I'm not a goat person, so any help is appreciated.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

CAE is not uncommon. I don't know if i would sell CAE positive goats as a breeder though...I'd want it out of my herd...honesty is good an all but.....buyer beware. Look up the disease and see if that is something you don't mind having in your herd. It really depends on how much you want to be out in vet bills and the purpose for buying goats to start with. Age that you would slaughter or sell etc. could be factors too. Do you plan on breeding..it carries onto the offspring. Fact is you can get goats that are CAE negative and that is the route I would personally go.

 

[Cara]

It is irresponsible to sell CAE-infected goats. Of course a disease would be common if you didn't try to stamp it out! CAE is not so common that you cannot find a clean herd. I'm sorry but I have a hard time putting 'reputable' and 'selling CAE infected goats' in the same breath.

 

[key west chick]

I would never knowingly buy CAE pos goats, even for pets. I made sure when I bought my nigi's it was from a CAE neg herd and I asked about other diseases also. It was great the breeder was honest, but I would look somewhere else.

 

[silverbird]

Quote:
Excellent post, CAE is extremely common, as is CL, it is your choice if you want to have animals knowing they carry these diseases. Personally I wouldn't

 

[ksalvagno]

I think it was great that the woman was honest. She knows she may be losing a potential customer.

If you decide to buy from this breeder, I think I would want to know if she is keeping the CAE positive does separate from the ones who test negative. I would make sure to buy from the CAE negative ones.

Generally you would be better off going somewhere that there is a negative herd.

 

[cmjust0]

What you just got in the previous four of five responses is what you might call "the dairy goat people opinion."
What you got from the breeder is what you might call "the meat goat people opinion."

We raise both, but I tend toward the dairy side's ideology simply because it tends to err on the side of caution... So, I can't really advocate continuing to breed known-CAE+ animals..

Still, I think I have to ask...what's your dad planning on doing with these goats? Are they for milk, meat, show breeding stock, simple brush clearing, ...?

 

[Cara]

CAE has serious implications for meat or dairy goat farmers. It impacts the profitability and wellbeing of the herd in either case. Pet goat owners may be able to make do with CAE positive goats, but it doesn't mean it's something you should choose to buy and it will limit additions to the herd. Progressive paralysis, severe arthritis, hardened udders and pneumonia is not something anyone wants in their herd.

 

[bheila]

I would never buy a goat from a breeder who had CAE + goats. Find someone else who has a negative herd. Ask to see the lab results also. I would never go by anyones word.

 

[cassie]

I would have the goat(s) I was interested in tested for CAE and if they were negative I would go ahead and buy them. And there is nothing wrong with breeding CAE positive goats. If you remove the kids immediately after birth, feed them heat treated or cow colostrum, and pasteurized goat milk chances are they will be CAE free. And you must keep CAE positive animals separate from the negative ones. I know any number of breeders that have eliminated CAE from their herds by following the above protocol.