Vicki,in a couple of your recent posts'you have mentioned getting CAE test done for 6.00.Tell me how you do this.They cost me nearly 40.00 per test(most to the vet of course).If I could get them done as cheaply as you do,I would certainly test more often.Where do you send your test?I think mine go to Tuskeegee Inst.in Alabama.Who draws blood,how is it handeled etc.Express mail,packed in ice packs?All the dirty details please.

-- JT Sessions (gone2seed@hotmail.com), March 14, 2001

Answers

First thing as the does kid I squirt colostrum (first squeeze to the ground) into red top vacutainer tubes (my feed store keeps these in stock) and send it to Pan American Labs in Austin, 3921 Steck Avenue #A101 Austin Texas 78759 800-856-9655 Just a padded envelope regular mail since it is winter. This has always been my first line of defense since CAE that is not active in the goat, but laying dormant in the system will show in the colostrum before it shows in the blood. If a doe comes back positive, which we have had two purchased does do this (one this year) we immediatly retest with a blood test, this colostrum test has picked up both of these does early conversions.

Every spring, we whole herd test anything over 1 year old. If you look at a package directions for LA200 it will show you exactly how to pull blood on a cow, same directions for goats. I am fairly adapt at pulling blood on my adults, but not kids, I opt for a friend who is a nurse. I send in 6 cc, probably a little more of whole blood to Pan American. By passing my vet who charges for the office visit and also to pull the blood and send it. Early spring I send it one day mail in a padded box with just an icepack in it, the kind the vet gives you or that Jeffers sends your meds to you with. Pan American does the Ellisa test. When I put up a valuable animal for sale I take the goat to the vet who reads tattoo's, gives the goat a once over, and she not only pulls the blood but sends the blood to Washington State Diagnostic Lab P.O. 2037 Bustad Hall, Room 155N College of Vet. Med. Pullman Washington 99165., this lab is all the vogue right now and most folks spending big money only want tests from this lab, so I comply. The results are sent to my vet along with the bill. This way if you are buying her you can call my vet who has recently inspected the goat, and done the blood testing, this makes for less problems later on if a doe converts after sale, that I did not somehow rig the test etc. My vet also knows my herds overall health and can give very basic information about their quality etc. But other than this animal for sale she won't give you any specifics about me or my herd. I have a great vet! A gal! :) of course.

Even if I had my vet come to my place and pull blood and send in the tests it would only be 10$ a head plus the test, course its 35$ for the farm call, which would be devided between all the goats being tested. We will be testing our Nubian Bucks and a few select does for the new gentic test for G6S

http://www.farmsites.com/kaapio/

This will also be handled by my vet so their will be no questions when I post the results to the data base. I expect that by next year you will be hearing CAE, CL, Johnnes and G6S on everyones tongues for tests. Especially in selling bucks. Nubians anyway. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 14, 2001.

I'm not Vicki, but I also draw the blood and send it in. Get someone to teach you how to draw the blood, it's not hard once you know where and how to stick them. the lady who taught me how told me to use vacutain(?) needles, the blood went directly into the red top clot tube. When i sent to the vet's for the needles and supplies to draw the blood, they sent me a bunch of syringes, needles and clot tubes, so I had to draw the blood with the syringe and then inject it into the tubes. That was a hassle, next time I'll be very specific and get the vacutain needles. The tubes were all labeled by me with numbers and the goat's names, and a master list with the same info on it. then I wrapped the tubes in bubble wrap, in such a way that the tubes wouldn't break, packed them in a small box and sent them to WSU. I believe they were sent priority mail. The weather was cool so they didn't have to be refrigerated or packed in ice. In a day or two WSU called me with the results, and sent a bill later.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), March 14, 2001.

Thanks ladies.This is going to save me a bundle and allow me to test more often.Our last test cost us so much that I swore off testing.I do wish we had a good goat vet here.Around here we are our own vets unless we want to use the poodle and canary crowd.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), March 14, 2001.

JT

I think your vet is gouging you. We have the vet come to the farm and draw blood twice a year from our whole herd. Our last test was $228 total for farm call, vet work and testing for about 23 samples. That works out to about $10 per sample. Last time he got all the samples in about a half hour. We were pretty organized and he is quick at getting the vein in the neck on the first try.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), March 14, 2001.

Skip you are so right about the gouging.For years we used an older vet who liked goats.Never had a complaint about his prices.He retired,son took over the practice.Prices went through the roof.I believe he was sending a message.Keep those stinking goats out of here.I got the message.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), March 15, 2001.