# Moving checklist.



## messybun (Jan 31, 2022)

Well y’all, I’ve seen so many people moving I wanted to jump in the boat. Actually not exactly. My family has been thinking of moving for a while so some of my family members could breath better. Which means there is a ton of stuff to consider and work out and straighten. Maybe not for years, maybe we’ll start next month. Not to mention exactly where to? Anyway, I wanted to start a thread to get some advice and talk laws and basically a checklist. Not sure if we’re even actually moving or when or a million things. But this is a good place to start.

First thoughts, we’d be moving back to central Texas or Arizona. Got some great friends and family in both. We have animals and so let’s start with them. The all-knowing internet says you need a vet check and permits to move animals across state borders, is this true? My fam has moved all over and traveled with a dog, but we’ve never done it with goats and possibly birds, so whole new world. What type of trailer would I need for 7 goats? 5 are dwarf breeds for reference. Do you actually need vaccination records and everything to cross state lines, and how do you do that if your animals either haven’t been vaccinated or you did it yourself, so no records? 
How do most of y’all get the land setup or where do you store the animals while getting the property set up for them? How would that work, getting my animals from point A to point B halfway across the state? 

Could my goats even survive in desert? Would it be possible to move two geese into the desert and them still have a good quality of life? It may sound like a silly question, but they goats have been born and raised in coastal farmland. 
What are the requirements of desert living for animals? We’ve done goats for 8 years, but I’m afraid desert will be like having to relearn everything. What type of shelters will I need, what type of water troughs? How do I figure out my land’s agricultural units?

That’s a lot, so I’m going to leave it at that for now.


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## Alaskan (Jan 31, 2022)

Well...

Central Texas isn't a good choice if the breathing issue is allergies and asthma.  One of the worst places actually...  lots of pollen, almost all year.

As to papers...  if you are within the state, it shouldn't be an issue...

But yes...  once you cross state lines, it is a whole different thing (also, I think there are some rules as to moving some kinds of livestock over county/burough lines).

Easiest thing, is call your local agriculture extension office and ask. 

As to the rest, with moving....you can go over to @Baymule 's page and see how she is handling it.  But essentially, you have to drive back and forth to set things up before you bring the animals, OR have a traveling setup of pens/fence.  So, cattle panels,  or electric fence (but ONLY if you KNOW they will contain the animals).

When my horses went from Texas to Alaska they came in a big horse trailer, one stall in the horse trailer held the stuff for a temporary electric fence.  When they would stop the horses had a turn out in the tiny electric pen.

Goats are smaller so easier to haul, but harder to fence than horses.  I have driven 8 hours with 2 does and one kid in the back of my midsized SUV.  That worked fine...  but no way could you get 7 to fit in an SUV. 

Taking goats to auction my sisters put goats in a huge dog crate in a truck bed...  or have a truck bed with a camper top.  But that is for auction... which is i think about 1 hour for my baby sis, and 2 hours for older sis.  So, a little crowding for such a short period is fine.


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## Baymule (Feb 1, 2022)

For crossing state lines, you need a vet to test your animals for various diseases and issue a health certificate. Moving animals to Texas, you need a brucellosis test, which may take weeks to get results back, so don’t wait until the last minute. You can move within your state, usually without health papers. 

I’m moving 125 miles south of where I am now. I’ve been rehabbing the house, moving outside stuff, taking a load every time I go. House is move in ready, took load of furniture last weekend, will finish cleaning out this house this coming weekend. I still have lots of outside stuff to move! 

For moving my sheep, they will go in a stock trailer for a 3 hour trip. 2dogs can ride in truck with me. I’ll have to make another trip for other 2 dogs, personally conflict! 

Thinking about throwing up some cow panel pens and a cow panel hoop shelter so I can unload them. Cow panels will contain sheep and Anatolians. I have 4 horse panels that Trip, male  GP, can’t jump, until I can build a backyard fence with hot wire, to keep him in. 

Moving here 7 years ago took months because I redid the interior of the house and worked with a neighbor volunteer to build a backyard fence and a fence for horses. I was in no hurry, time was not an issue. 

If moving long distance, making overnight stops, I’d suggest buying a 16’ stock trailer. That would be plenty of room for 7 goats. Feed and water when you stop. Put geese in a cage that you can feed and water them in, in back of truck. I’d block wind with a piece of plywood wired to cage, possibly a piece on top too if sun would be beating down on them. I wouldn’t take goats or geese out at stops. 

What state are you in?


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## messybun (Feb 1, 2022)

Baymule said:


> For crossing state lines, you need a vet to test your animals for various diseases and issue a health certificate. Moving animals to Texas, you need a brucellosis test, which may take weeks to get results back, so don’t wait until the last minute. You can move within your state, usually without health papers.
> 
> I’m moving 125 miles south of where I am now. I’ve been rehabbing the house, moving outside stuff, taking a load every time I go. House is move in ready, took load of furniture last weekend, will finish cleaning out this house this coming weekend. I still have lots of outside stuff to move!
> 
> ...



We’d be moving from NC to Midwest. 
I have been reading your journal, and getting exhausted just from reading! 
Part of the problem is we’d have to do it all in one go, driving back and forth wouldn’t be an option.


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## messybun (Feb 1, 2022)

Alaskan said:


> Well...
> 
> Central Texas isn't a good choice if the breathing issue is allergies and asthma.  One of the worst places actually...  lots of pollen, almost all year.
> 
> ...



My family and I have actually lived in central TX for about 7 years off and on. It is far better than here because it doesn’t have the mold problems or as much grass. 
If you know a better place for allergies, that doesn’t get cold, I’m all ears. 

To my advantage, my goats are middle aged to old, so that does help a little with escaping. Not much, but a little.


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## Alaskan (Feb 1, 2022)

Well....  the drier it is, the better you will be in regard to allergies. 

So further west Texas, or far north Texas, or south Texas (but away from the coast) are very dry, so better in regards to pollen. 

I forgot to mention...  for the climate change... especially if it will be huge... is move when it isn't so bad.  So...  we moved the horses to Alaska in the summer.  That way they had plenty of time to acclimate and grow in winter hair before winter. 

Moving to the desert you would want to move when the temps aren't "scary" way hotter than where you are now.  So.. late fall, winter, or early spring.


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## Alaskan (Feb 1, 2022)

And...if you call your vet...  they should know, or be able to look up, what paperwork and tests you will need... hopefully.


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## messybun (Feb 1, 2022)

Alaskan said:


> And...if you call your vet...  they should know, or be able to look up, what paperwork and tests you will need... hopefully.


A whole new adventure in itself. We don’t have a livestock vet. The nearest one doesn’t like to (when I say don’t like I mean they don’t) take on new patients either. That may have changed recently, so I’ll have to call around. The best bet is to wait for the once or twice a year the mobile vet comes around, but it’s a long shot to get in. Which means my goats have never seen a vet. On the good side an alpaca farm moved in down the road, so I may have to wait when they get a vet out and see if they’ll do a second stop here.


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## Alaskan (Feb 1, 2022)

messybun said:


> A whole new adventure in itself. We don’t have a livestock vet. The nearest one doesn’t like to (when I say don’t like I mean they don’t) take on new patients either. That may have changed recently, so I’ll have to call around. The best bet is to wait for the once or twice a year the mobile vet comes around, but it’s a long shot to get in. Which means my goats have never seen a vet. On the good side an alpaca farm moved in down the road, so I may have to wait when they get a vet out and see if they’ll do a second stop here.


Well yes....  that super sucks.

Sounds like the alpaca farm might be able to help.


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## Baymule (Feb 1, 2022)

The goats would travel well in a stock trailer. A hay bag, feed and water when you stop for the night and padlock the gate because people are stupid. 

How many miles, how many days? 

It can be done all in one trip. Goats might have to live in a small temporary pen for awhile, but they would be ok.


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## messybun (Feb 1, 2022)

Baymule said:


> The goats would travel well in a stock trailer. A hay bag, feed and water when you stop for the night and padlock the gate because people are stupid.
> 
> How many miles, how many days?
> 
> It can be done all in one trip. Goats might have to live in a small temporary pen for awhile, but they would be ok.



Over 1,000 miles, probably closer to 2,000. Depending on where we find a house. Texas is the top but Arizona isn’t out of the running. Lot of unknowns. About 3 days of travel straight, we usually take a little longer though.


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## Ridgetop (Feb 13, 2022)

messybun said:


> We don’t have a livestock vet. The nearest one doesn’t like to (when I say don’t like I mean they don’t) take on new patients either. That may have changed recently, so I’ll have to call around. The best bet is to wait for the once or twice a year the mobile vet comes around, but it’s a long shot to get in.


First call the USDA for the state you are moving to.  They will tell you what you will need to bring in livestock. There are different requirements for each species.  Some of the tests must be negative within a certain number of weeks of the move, which means that unless the bi-annual mobile vet visits within the time frame it won't help you.  Some of the tests st be sent to a lab so it will ake several days or weeks to get the results back, meaning you will have to figure how much time before you leave you need to do the tests.  If it is for a herd health check for someone that is leaving the state, the local vet might do it for you as a one-time thing.  

You will also need to check on whether you need to comply on health requirements (certificates) for *each state you plan to travel through*.  Also do the states require transport slips?  You need to make sure that you have proveable ownership paperwork on the animals - registration papers or bills of sale with you as owner that conform to tatoos, ear tags, microchips, or animal identification, etc.



messybun said:


> About 3 days of travel straight, we usually take a little longer though.Sudden change in water


Always pack enough food and water for a longer trip than you anticipate.  Bring gallons of water from your own home to gradually get them used to different water.  All water is different and has a different odor depending on the minerals in it.  Animals can get sick drinking strange water they are not used to.  Also bring at least 2 weeks of hay and feed with you since you will want to gradually shift them from your hay and grain to the new stuff available in your location.

If you don't have a stock trailer, check with the various animal shipping companies for quotes on shipping your livestock.  It might be cheaper than buying a trailer, etc.  You will still need to provide the health docs though.


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## messybun (Feb 13, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> First call the USDA for the state you are moving to.  They will tell you what you will need to bring in livestock. There are different requirements for each species.  Some of the tests must be negative within a certain number of weeks of the move, which means that unless the bi-annual mobile vet visits within the time frame it won't help you.  Some of the tests st be sent to a lab so it will ake several days or weeks to get the results back, meaning you will have to figure how much time before you leave you need to do the tests.  If it is for a herd health check for someone that is leaving the state, the local vet might do it for you as a one-time thing.
> 
> You will also need to check on whether you need to comply on health requirements (certificates) for *each state you plan to travel through*.  Also do the states require transport slips?  You need to make sure that you have proveable ownership paperwork on the animals - registration papers or bills of sale with you as owner that conform to tatoos, ear tags, microchips, or animal identification, etc.
> 
> ...



How do I get those papers? We’ve bought all our goats with cash handed on time of sale, mostly from local farmers who have probably never kept records. Not shady, just a small town(used to be) where everyone knows everyone and only so many people have goats. Then, there’s the born here. No ear tags, no tattoos. Nothing on anybody. No bill of sale or anything. I have about 7 years worth of pictures though, if that helps. Don’t know how else to prove ownership. Thanks, I never thought of needing to do that.


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## Ridgetop (Feb 13, 2022)

Any place to buy ear tags?  Sheep breeders?  Do you have a tattoo kit? Or check with livestock catalogs to see if you can buy 10 tags and a tagger.  Or ask the vet and have them microchipped.  Record the chip number on a typed ownership record putting in the dates (approximately) when you bought them.  I would worry more about having scrapie tags though.  Check with USDA what is actually needed for transport across state lines.  You can also get transport slips from local cattle barns.  That might be all you would need along with the health certificates.  But each health certificate must identify the animal by a permanent ID, that is where the tags or tattoos come in.


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## Alaskan (Feb 13, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> Any place to buy ear tags?  Sheep breeders?  Do you have a tattoo kit? Or check with livestock catalogs to see if you can buy 10 tags and a tagger.  Or ask the vet and have them microchipped.  Record the chip number on a typed ownership record putting in the dates (approximately) when you bought them.  I would worry more about having scrapie tags though.  Check with USDA what is actually needed for transport across state lines.  You can also get transport slips from local cattle barns.  That might be all you would need along with the health certificates.  But each health certificate must identify the animal by a permanent ID, that is where the tags or tattoos come in.


Is that I new-ish law?

When we moved our horses they were described in their health papers.... but no brand,  tattoo, chip... whatever. 

Of course... that was maybe 15 years ago


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## Baymule (Feb 14, 2022)

Some states have restrictive laws. Some don’t.


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## messybun (Feb 14, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> Any place to buy ear tags?  Sheep breeders?  Do you have a tattoo kit? Or check with livestock catalogs to see if you can buy 10 tags and a tagger.  Or ask the vet and have them microchipped.  Record the chip number on a typed ownership record putting in the dates (approximately) when you bought them.  I would worry more about having scrapie tags though.  Check with USDA what is actually needed for transport across state lines.  You can also get transport slips from local cattle barns.  That might be all you would need along with the health certificates.  But each health certificate must identify the animal by a permanent ID, that is where the tags or tattoos come in.


Yes, I can buy those at the feed store. I’ll do what I have to do, But I really wish there was a non-permanently altering identification for my animals ya know.
And no local cattle barn. Nearest livestock auction is a couple hours away, and they don’t even do cattle on the regular. Would that maybe work?


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## messybun (Feb 27, 2022)

Alright. Got a more definite moving date. About two years from now. 
Why, you may ask? I realized that real estate was not for me. So, like any sane person, I decided to become a nurse. Surprisingly, I’m not hating college just yet, thought I would. In any case, NC is way easier to get into a nursing program, and works out to about a year or two less total time(less prerequisites, better candidate to seat ratios and less credit hours). 
So, that means in the meantime I have some time to figure out a heck of a lot. Apparently backyard animals take way more to transport than initially thought, thanks y’all for the help so far. And, apparently, the livestock auction does give out certificates, so that’s great. 
 I thought I had a decent handle on my animal care after having them eight years, apparently there’s more to figure out than I ever knew possibly could need figured out.
In the meantime, that’s two years (or as fast as I can go through) to trim down excess and prepare  to move.


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## Mini Horses (Feb 27, 2022)

Wow!  A huge change 😊. Good luck with school...learn allergy controls and you won't need to move.  😁.  But yes, moving animals over state lines has controls.  And YES they do check you at the stop points.....or send a cop if you don't stop.


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## messybun (Feb 27, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> Wow!  A huge change 😊. Good luck with school...learn allergy controls and you won't need to move.  😁.  But yes, moving animals over state lines has controls.  And YES they do check you at the stop points.....or send a cop if you don't stop.


Hope there’s not a personal story in that one! Lol.

Hey, it’s been eight years and every imaginable cure or relief pretty much has been tried.
Between sowing fields right next to our house or the constant humidity and mold. My fam just can’t breathe. Any suggestions they’ll try, but nothing really seems to have worked.


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## Mini Horses (Feb 27, 2022)

messybun said:


> didn't see need.
> Hope there’s not a personal story in that one! Lol.




🤣🤣🤣Unfortunately a learning experience!

Always stopped with livestock.  On way home empty, didn't think to.   Sirens, blinking lights and a big apology from me.  😳.   Yeah, a short lecture...then the sole bale of hay was okayed to travel on.


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## messybun (Feb 27, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> 🤣🤣🤣Unfortunately a learning experience!
> 
> Always stopped with livestock.  On way home empty, didn't think to.   Sirens, blinking lights and a big apology from me.  😳.   Yeah, a short lecture...then the sole bale of hay was okayed to travel on.


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## messybun (Feb 27, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> 🤣🤣🤣Unfortunately a learning experience!
> 
> Always stopped with livestock.  On way home empty, didn't think to.   Sirens, blinking lights and a big apology from me.  😳.   Yeah, a short lecture...then the sole bale of hay was okayed to travel on.



At least the hay bale didn’t step on anyone or bite them, that could have gone really bad.


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## farmerjan (Feb 27, 2022)

We have transported livestock over several state lines and never been stopped.  But again, let's hope there's not a first time anytime soon.  Regulations are getting stricter with the newer diseases and the more contagious things.  There is now a problem with "Theileria" in beef cattle.. in Va from the Asian Longhorn tick.... transported in from who knows where.... and Johne's is contagious and there are carriers that never show it....look at all the things that horses can carry... VEE EEE and all that they need to be tested for to transport.


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## Baymule (Feb 28, 2022)

At least. My moving with animals was only a 3 hour drive.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 9, 2022)

Mini Horses said:


> Always stopped with livestock. On way home empty, didn't think to. Sirens, blinking lights and a big apology from me. 😳. Yeah, a short lecture...then the sole bale of hay was okayed to travel on.


No transport slips needed for sheep and goats, except that the auction barns are requiring you to fill one out on site.  I bought a pad to be able to fill in at home where I can check ear tags when loading.  Much easier.  Used to keep the pad in my truck glove box in case.  You have to have one for cattle or you can be stopped and the brand inspector will be called out before you can continue travel.

My 4-H friend, Bernardine, owned a dairy (used to sell us bull calves) told me that her sons (who were taking over the dairy) did a lot of the cattle and calf transport.  They had a big livestock hauler and hauled their heifers to their dairy pastures in northern California to grow out. One day one of the boys got stopped with a load of their own Marquez heifers.  When the Sheriff asked for his paperwork he realized he had walked out and left the transport slips on the kitchen table!  This was before cell phones with cameras etc.  His brother had to get in the truck and drive 2 hours north with the paperwork while the brand inspector waited with the other brother and the cattle at the side of the road!  Apparently there had been a rash of dairy cattle thefts - this was about 20 years ago.  At the time we were raising bull calves and transporting them home from the diary and off to the auction every couple months so after hearing that story, I always kept extra transport slips in my truck!  LOL


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## messybun (Mar 9, 2022)

Ridgetop said:


> No transport slips needed for sheep and goats, except that the auction barns are requiring you to fill one out on site.  I bought a pad to be able to fill in at home where I can check ear tags when loading.  Much easier.  Used to keep the pad in my truck glove box in case.  You have to have one for cattle or you can be stopped and the brand inspector will be called out before you can continue travel.
> 
> My 4-H friend, Bernardine, owned a dairy (used to sell us bull calves) told me that her sons (who were taking over the dairy) did a lot of the cattle and calf transport.  They had a big livestock hauler and hauled their heifers to their dairy pastures in northern California to grow out. One day one of the boys got stopped with a load of their own Marquez heifers.  When the Sheriff asked for his paperwork he realized he had walked out and left the transport slips on the kitchen table!  This was before cell phones with cameras etc.  His brother had to get in the truck and drive 2 hours north with the paperwork while the brand inspector waited with the other brother and the cattle at the side of the road!  Apparently there had been a rash of dairy cattle thefts - this was about 20 years ago.  At the time we were raising bull calves and transporting them home from the diary and off to the auction every couple months so after hearing that story, I always kept extra transport slips in my truck!  LOL


Oh wow! That’s really good to keep in mind.


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