Kinder Goats in Canada?

[ThorntonRidge]

I have been researching goats for awhile and owned an Alpine buck that I adored, but had to get rid of due to where I lived. I want to get back into goats and now have an appropriate place for one. I've decided I want kinder goats. But they are extremely hard to find here.

Does anyone know of any breeders in Canada? Or if I can bring them across the border? I have also thought of "starting" my own herd. I've done the research on what I would have to do, but I'm not sure if this is a realistic goal or something I should do.

My heart is set on this breed and I'm determined haha. Just wanted opinions I guess. Should I start my own herd or try and buy them?

 

[ksalvagno]

I don't think you can bring livestock across the border. I can't speak for goats specifically but I know we haven't been able to transport alpacas across for border for a few years now.

 

[ThorntonRidge]

It's funny, as soon as I posted this I found the website I was searching for about getting livestock across the border. Goats and sheep are considered the same thing almost. You can get them across the border, but you have to have an import license and another form signed by a vet.

Not sure on costs on any of this, I expect it's expensive. May still dump the idea though.

 

[boothcreek]

I will be bringing sheep up this year so here is what is essential for small ruminants to be imported:

Females of both Sheep or Goats need to be from a premises enroled in a Scrapie certification program, also goats need to be tested for brucellosis and tuberculosis as well. Sheep are exempt from those tests.

Males do not need to be from a Scrapie cert premises and only need the general healthpapers.

No quarantine is needed once in Canada.

Requirements seem relativley simple when read, but try to find a breeder enrolled in the SC program......... I am getting only ewes and the only breeders in the SC program I found are in texas since it is mandatory there.
Gonna be a fun road trip this summer to pick up 2-3 sheep- BC to TX here I come!

General Healthpapers seem to run around $100 per animal(additional tests- bruc + tube - may run that cost up to $200-$300 depending up on vet) and there is also a charge at the border from the Vet there($40 per head I believe) plus the cost of the import permit(which is unknown to me at this point since I haven't applied for it yet).

Seems very costly, but in the end I think its worth it to get new blood into the country. I breed European Mouflon Sheep and Ewes are very few here, and mostly related.....