# Did I make a mistake?



## chandasue (Jul 1, 2009)

So I just put a deposit down on 2 lamanchas does that may or may not be bred. We can't tell yet. If they are they won't be due until end of July/first week of August. One has tested positive for CAE. The owner made it seem like it's not a problem if you pull the kids at birth, although I had thought I'd go for a more natural approach, but I suppose we can work with that. I don't plan on breeding the one that's positive anyway, she can just be there to keep the other one company. But now that I've done more reading and have come to learn that it can be contagious through the water bucket and transfer of other bodily fluids I'm second guessing myself. They appear otherwise healthy and very friendly. Other breeders I've talked to act like it's not a big deal and they have goats that live to ripe old age with the disease. Am I just over thinking this and just take any problems as they come down the road since CAE is becoming so common in dairy goats?


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## chandasue (Jul 1, 2009)

Oh yeah, these are my first goats as well. So what do I know! Big fat nothin' other than the books I've read and research I've done online.


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## bheila (Jul 1, 2009)

I just recently tested my first 3 original goats for CAE because when I got them they hadn't been tested. I was a wreck waiting for the test results. I personally will not have a goat with CAE in my herd. 

Why do you want a goat with CAE, especially when they're so many others without it?  

Don't shoot yourself in the foot before you even get your goats    Start out your herd with healthy goats. 

It's great that your educating yourself!


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## mully (Jul 1, 2009)

bheila said:
			
		

> I just recently tested my first 3 original goats for CAE because when I got them they hadn't been tested. I was a wreck waiting for the test results. I personally will not have a goat with CAE in my herd.
> 
> Why do you want a goat with CAE, especially when they're so many others without it?
> 
> ...


Smart advise !! Do not pay good money for an animal with problems as you will not enjoy your animals. A goat with CAE is not something you want let alone start out your herd with this problem.... find some other goats and do not bring these home... you will be better off and happier !!


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## Kute Kitten (Jul 1, 2009)

What does CAE stand for?


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## Farmer Kitty (Jul 1, 2009)

Kute Kitten said:
			
		

> What does CAE stand for?


CAPRINE ARTHRITIS ENCEPHALITIS. This is a disease that is transferred by milk or by fluids. This means that if your doe has CAE, you cannot allow her kids to be nursed by her or even allow her to lick and clean the kids. Even sneezing can transfer the infection.


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## ksalvagno (Jul 1, 2009)

I agree with the rest. Don't bring diseases onto your property. You are only asking for trouble. Hopefully they will refund your deposit or allow you to pick another doe that is CAE free.


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## Kute Kitten (Jul 1, 2009)

Gotchya.


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## chandasue (Jul 1, 2009)

Thanks everyone. You all confirmed what I was already thinking. Hard lesson learned... I left a message with the owners that I'm backing out of the deal. I'm pretty sad about it. I'm probably out $80 but better that than years of trouble. It's for the best. I'll keep looking...


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## mully (Jul 1, 2009)

chandasue said:
			
		

> Thanks everyone. You all confirmed what I was already thinking. Hard lesson learned... I left a message with the owners that I'm backing out of the deal. I'm pretty sad about it. I'm probably out $80 but better that than years of trouble. It's for the best. I'll keep looking...


GREAT you are doing the right thing !!


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## username taken (Jul 1, 2009)

I'm sorry I didnt see this thread earlier but there is a lot of misinformation here and I wanted to give you some advice. 

If you are only looking for pets, home milkers etc. and do not want to show your goats, if you really like these two girls and they are priced right, then there is no reason not to buy them. 

CAE is not the end of the world. It is a very manageable disease to eliminate from the herd - by way of 'catching' kids and bottle feeding them on pasturised mum's milk, replacer or milk from a -ve doe. For all practical purposes, CAE IS TRANSMITTED BY MILK ONLY. Yes, there is a VERY SMALL CHANCE of transmission by other bodily fluids, but in practice it is so small it is nothing to worry about. 

Now the thing is - CAE positive goats can lead a normal, healthy life. Oftentimes the disease doesnt kick in until they are aged - around 10 yrs old. In other words, when the goat is reaching the end stages of the life span in any case. Very rare for a young goat <8 yrs old to be seriously afflicted. CAE positive goats are certainly fine for pets and family milkers. What this means, is that you can even leave kids from positive does on them - yes the kids will contract the disease but as I have said they can lead normal lives with the disease for the majority of their life. 

If you want to show, then you dont want CAE +ve goats, but for simply pets and home milkers, CAE +ve does are fine and can often be bought very cheap. And even in show herds that contract CAE, its a very easy disease to eliminate.


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## Chirpy (Jul 2, 2009)

Although username taken has very good points.   I am also one of those that does not want a CAE goat on my property.     The biggest reason for me is that so many other people (at least around here) wouldn't ever buy a goat from a farm that has ever had a CAE positive goat on the premises.  So - future sales of any kids (you need to have kids to continue milking) could be difficult when people find out you have a CAE positive herd/partial herd.

If you were me.... I wouldn't knowingly start off with goats having any issues.  But, others do and are happy with their decision.


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## chandasue (Jul 2, 2009)

Well, I was uneasy about the deal and I'm glad others agree that it's not a good way to start out. Why take the risk? If I decide to show and sell kids down the road I won't be shooting myself in the foot by going through several years of culling and costly testing to eliminate a disease that I could have avoided in the first place.


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## cmjust0 (Jul 10, 2009)

I wouldn't necessarily want to start a herd with a known CAE+ goat, but if I found that one of mine had CAE...I wouldn't cull it.  

CL, _yes_, I'd cull...but CAE, nah.

It's funny how so many folks talk about how easy it is to spread, yet here you are looking at buying two goats housed together...one positive, one negative.

Bear in mind, too, that the most routine test for CAE isn't terribly reliable in the first place.

But, again...I definitely wouldn't start a herd with a known CAE goat if I could help it.


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