I have been planning to test my junior doe when she reached 6 month, which she has. I called Bio Tracking because I had a few questions to ask. Then she said they recomend to have CAE testing done when the doe is at least 9 months of age!?? I have always seen people doing CAE testing after 6 months old so when I heard that it was 9 months I was really confused. Does anyone agree with them or do you do yours at 6 months?
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Yes, I will wait till she is at least 40-45# before breeding her. She is currently 7 months and 8 days old and weighs 35 1/2 #. Most people wait to breed them when they are at least 40# and at least 7 months old from my understanding. I was just shocked because I have always heard of people testing 6 months or older.
I would just wait until right before I was going to breed her in that case. I am assuming that she is between 6-9 months from your post. Are you going to be breeding her that young? Has she at least reached 40 pounds?
I was under the impression that they were suppose to be a year old before testing. I can't remember exactly where I read that but I know I have seen it in a couple of places. I am assuming that now that I know more about it that it would be because naturally a goat would nurse for about 6 months and then given another 6 months more months clearing time that would make the year. I suppose that given some people let the does and wethers stay with mom that waiting a year for testing would be appropriate in many herds. I will be waiting the year on mine!
I am pretty certain she received CAE negative milk, she came from a grade A dairy/ creamery, all there goats are tested CAE negative, and they are a closed herd. I would like to test her soon because I am using someone else's buck to breed her and would like a current CAE test before doing so.
It depends on how much faith you have in the idea that she received CAE-negative milk. Basically it can take up to six months for a goat to seroconvert to positive if they are exposed. In research (like one of those that I linked in another thread on CAE transmission during breeding) some goats will test positive within 30 days of exposure. However, some people say they have had goats serocovert even later than six months. Is there a reason you want to do it ASAP? If not, I personally would just wait until she's pregnant. Some people do the combo-test that tests for pregnancy and CAE in one blood draw. Bottom line -- the later you do the test after possible exposure, the more likely it is to be accurate.
She was bottle raised on 1/2 milk replacer and 1/2 goats milk. I don't know if the goat milk was from her dam though or if it was fresh or pasteurized, the breeder says she was tested on a CAE prevention program so I would assume it was pasteurized. The last time she had a bottle was on May 26, 2012.
So if the doe never had the dams milk and was bottle raised you can do it at 6 months? Or is it always six months after weaning?
Thanks!
According to the pathologist at Washington State, they should be tested six months after the last time they had their dam's milk because maternal antibodies mess up the test results. Some people assume that all goats are bottle-raised with pasteurized milk, which is where the 6 month age comes in, while other assume that the kid nursed for 3 months. I really wish I knew why people didn't just say six months after weaning. It's not that hard to say that. You can test whenever you want, but any test within six months of weaning could have inaccurate results.