# Goat Quarantine - what do you do?



## Green Acres Farm (Dec 27, 2016)

What does everyone do when bringing home new goats to quarantine?

How long does quarantine usually last for you? When do you decide it's done?

Do you have any tests run during quarantine? What tests?

Do you put a "buddy" with your new goat during quarantine?

Do you quarantine young newly weaned goats? What is different between their quarantine stay and older goats in quarantine?

Thank you!


----------



## Green Acres Farm (Dec 27, 2016)

@Goat Whisperer @Southern by choice @babsbag @OneFineAcre ...


----------



## Goat Whisperer (Dec 27, 2016)

At least 30 days is best IMO. 

For goats that have any potential issues they are in quarantine longer. 
I thoroughly evaluate each goat before I bring them home, so I already have an idea of any issues I could be dealing with. 

Once they get here I run a fecal on the goat. Follow up and treat as needed. 
If the goat is an adult we generally test for CAE, CL & Johne's. We also generally have an agreement with the seller that if the goat comes up positive for anything they will take the goat back and refund the money. 

Young goats still get quarantined. Obviously you can't test for CAE, CL, or Johne's at that age but still do the fecal etc. 

I don't put a buddy in with them. They can still see other goats, and get to somewhat get to "know" each other before released into the herd. 

I have bent the rules once or twice 
When I got my guy from OFA he was separated for maybe a week. I ran the fecal (all good) but treated as a prevention as he was just weaned AND moved to our farm. 
After that he was moved in with a wether we had kept just for the buck. BUT I know OFA's herd pretty well now and felt comfortable with cutting the quarantine time down. Plus, he was only with 1 wether so not a huge deal anyway. I wouldn't do this with every situation though. 

When to decide when it's done- is the goat completely healthy? Low or no parasites or cocci? Proper tests run? All tests - ?  Is the goat comfortable with ME (easy to catch/handle)? Is the free of external parasites too? Hooves trimmed? Has the goat been switched to our hay and feed? Is the goat drinking and eating properly? 
Anything off about the goat? 
^just a few things to consider before putting the goat with the rest of the herd.


----------



## Hens and Roos (Dec 27, 2016)

we do at least 30 days- during that time frame we run fecal, CL, CAE and Johnes tests.  We also watch to make sure the goat doesn't come down with any respiratory issues, watch to make sure appetite is good, eyes stay clear and just general observations to get to know the goat and its habits so to speak.  If a problem does come up then the goat stays in quarantine longer until the problem is taken care of. 

Any new animal- young or old goes through the same for us- this past summer we brought in 2 new Lamancha does and only 1 doe was added to our herd as the other doe was positive for CAE(unfortunately we ended up culling her, we didn't want to risk the rest of the herds health)


----------



## Mini Horses (Dec 27, 2016)

I'll add that when I buy I like to get two...then they have someone they know to be in quarantine with them, as well as a buddy when introduced to herd.   (I know, an enabler!!)

Does help reduce stress tho.     All as others said about testing, watching, knowing, feeding, etc.   Then some fenceline time before actually into same field.


----------



## babsbag (Dec 27, 2016)

I have always bought goats from people I know and herds that I trust so I only quarantine long enough to get tests results if they haven't already been done before I bring them home.  I do watch for respiratory problems but have only had it show up once. I will get a fecal done about a month after they are here and treat accordingly.


----------



## Fullhousefarm (Jan 3, 2017)

babsbag said:


> I have always bought goats from people I know and herds that I trust so I only quarantine long enough to get tests results if they haven't already been done before I bring them home.  I do watch for respiratory problems but have only had it show up once. I will get a fecal done about a month after they are here and treat accordingly.



I agree it varies. We bought a bred doe from a VERY trusted, tested herd. We picked her up at a show 6 hours away. True quarantine wasn't possible since we had 12 goats with us. But, I wormed her before we got home so any "different" parasites would be shed while they were on shavings at shows the next 4-5 days. She kidded 3 weeks later. But, really, this farm tests twice as often as I do and the owner is quite OCD about everything. Good for the buyer in this case. She's our only goat with DNA on file and microchipped.

However, when we got two untested Nigerians from a non-goat friend (trusted, but not goat savvy) they went on the other side of our house in a 12x12 pen out of sight/touch of all our goats. They were wormed and stayed there 30 days, which was 2 weeks after we got negative CAE tests back on both of them. Thankfully, we knew they were purchased by her at 5 days old and hadn't been around any other livestock for 2.5 years - so the chance of a new problem like CL or other more contagious diseases was minimal.


----------



## Southern by choice (Jan 3, 2017)

We don't buy goats from someone we don't know or has questionable practices  BUT regardless all goats are quarantined. 
This allows for a complete deworming - no sense in bringing different parasites to my farm that the dewormers I use and work for us may not be effective for those being brought in. 
All goats have parasites so this is a common sense thing.
Testing- CAE CL Johnes- if old enough. 
If any shipping fever issues, it doesn't effect the rest of my herd and can be treated.
Hooves are cleaned and trimmed as well.
The majority of goats we bring in are also vet checked at some point during the quarantine. OFA's buck I don't think we have had vet checked yet.
We do the vet check really because years ago we had a buck with a serious heart condition. Anemia was constant and he couldn't handle heat well due to his condition. He did die.
When he was vet checked it was discovered- we opted to keep him anyway but we learned from it.
All our goat kids have heart checks before they are sold. I wouldn't want anyone to go through that.

The time also allows for our LGD's to see their new charges and the goat to get use to the dogs. It makes for a better less stressful transition.


----------



## Green Acres Farm (Jan 3, 2017)

Southern by choice said:


> All our goat kids have heart checks before they are sold. I wouldn't want anyone to go through that.


By you or the vet?


----------



## Southern by choice (Jan 3, 2017)

Vet


----------



## Ferguson K (Jan 3, 2017)

We extend quarantine time depending on the animal. 

One doeling was in quarantine for 4 months, only recently added to the herd. She had chronic respiratory issues and multiple other things. She enjoys being with the herd now. 

Shots , worming, and the big 3 are tested for. We recently also started testing for Bruc and TB.


----------



## Daxigait (Aug 8, 2019)

Goat Whisperer said:


> At least 30 days is best IMO.
> 
> For goats that have any potential issues they are in quarantine longer.
> I thoroughly evaluate each goat before I bring them home, so I already have an idea of any issues I could be dealing with.
> ...


what do you think about a goat that you're getting back that you sold after 3 months. as far as I can tell she's fine except for they tried to kill her by not dealing with parasites.  I've had her home 10 days she's been wormed in about to get a second dose and fecal run I'm just not sure I'm just putting on weight again and and seems to be doing fine got to get paranoid about Johnees.


----------

