Disease Testing Goats
Because we love our goats and care about their health and the health of the kids we sell we test our entire herd for CL, CAE and Johnes.
After a few years of paying our vet to pull blood we finally decided to learn to do it ourselves. To make the job easier we broke the herd into groups of 15-20 goats each and did them over 3 weeks, taking the samples to UBRL in Fresno each week. Drawing blood was way easier than we expected! So ridiculously easy I almost laughed that it took me so long to learn this skill. We will do our own blood draws from now on (saving a LOT of money!) and I highly recommend everyone just try it!
After a few years of paying our vet to pull blood we finally decided to learn to do it ourselves. To make the job easier we broke the herd into groups of 15-20 goats each and did them over 3 weeks, taking the samples to UBRL in Fresno each week. Drawing blood was way easier than we expected! So ridiculously easy I almost laughed that it took me so long to learn this skill. We will do our own blood draws from now on (saving a LOT of money!) and I highly recommend everyone just try it!
Why should you only buy goats from a breeder who tests their entire herd and why is a "closed herd" not good enough? Because only testing proves a herd is healthy and disease free. When someone says they have a “closed herd” that proves nothing at all. You have nothing but their word to go on and even they don’t really know if their herd is healthy because some diseases can remain hidden for years. Only testing proves that a herd is truly disease free and healthy. Reputable and responsible breeders are willing to pay this considerable expense for the health of their goats. Your new goat will be both a financial investment and beloved family pet and you really don’t want to take chances with their health. Nor do you want to buy goats from sale barns or unsavory characters selling goats of questionable health and breeding! If you can’t see the parent stock, ask lots of questions and feel good about what you see KEEP GOING. I can’t stress these points enough! A “cheap goat” is not a bargain when you end up with expensive vet bills or have to explain to your children why their beloved pet died.
