Does anyone out there know why everyone wants to have goats TB tested, I read somewhere that there has never been a confirmed case of goats getting TB in the United STates. So why do some people want this, to what purpose. Who started it? Seems like it is so unecessary for the goats and owners expense. I can understand the testing for the other diseases, due to the fact that there are goats in the US that has had the other diseases.

-- Barb (vozarbi@sensible-net.com), November 19, 2001

Answers

Barb, don't know where you are but here in Michigan there has been TB in the deer herds and also in some beef herds. For us to move stock out of our state now, like to show etc., we have to be TB tested. Shortly, I am not sure when the date is, we will not be able to sell breeding stock that has not been tested. If deer can get it why could we assume that the goats wouldn't?

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), November 19, 2001.

And what happens if they test positive for it?

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), November 19, 2001.

In Iowa they want goats treated the same as any cow dairy herd - no matter how stupid that is. That is also the reason there are no commercial dairy goat herds in Iowa - can't get certified/approved. Almost all goat milk from commercial herds is transported to Wisconsin to be made into cheese.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), November 19, 2001.

Hnmmmmmmmm.... I'm thinking as to why, read it one place why, think it was an old Dairy goat journal. I bet vicki might be able to clue us in. I DO know that it is required for shows in many states. Now MO from what i was told this past spring when i had hoped to show my goats there last June didn't require it becuse they were TB/Brucellosis state along with AR. Now MO is asking for health papers and TB/Brucellois.

We were accredited or certified back in VA and after moving I forgot to ask the st vet dept here if we could transfer that or start over again. thanks for the reminder in asking in your post about regs.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), November 19, 2001.

YOU don't want TB. Treatment is a year of antibiotics.

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), November 19, 2001.

Forgot to mention, hubby distracted me when i was replying that false positives can occur too if the goat is tested too many times in a yr for TB/brucellosis. Back in VA there was a Grade A Dairy that bottled milk and made cheese that was sending a group of goats for export. the goats were given all kinds of tests, well... the tests were too close together and they tested positive. the lady was shut down and lost a entire yr selling til they tested neg..

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), November 19, 2001.

Yes just like the USDA is dragging us goat folks through the scrapie mud, kicking and screaming with the sheep, fluid milk is under cow regulations also. Not only the TB but the idiotcy of the somatic cell counts. Exported animals must go through TB and Brucelocisis testings, and in all the years I have ran exports and many many more that a friend of mine has ran hers we have never had an animal test positive for either. Without a strong association that encompasses both dairy, meat, fiber and pets the goat industry will never have a strong enough lobby to have drugs for goats, with real residue information, besides the other already mentioned crap! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), November 20, 2001.

Diane, You are a human, would you like to be tested for all diseases that humans get, and to have to pay for it too. Government regulations just continue to get out of hand. Next year maybe we can test our goats for Cat scratch fever, I have cats in the barn.Goats are goats, deer are deer, and cows are cows. There has never been a confirmed case in the US in goats. That is a good enough reason for me to stop some of this silly testing...

-- Barb (vozarbi@sensible-net.com), November 20, 2001.

Barb.........I asked a question, was not trying to start a debate. It doesn't matter how stupid we think the tests are, until we have some answers we have no means to fight them. Vicki is right, we can all be dragged kicking and screaming, and really are taking it with the whole scapies thing also.

Obviously you had an answer to your question in your mind already, why ask it as a question when you just want a platform to make a statement??

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), November 20, 2001.

Oh and Barb, I have, as a health care worker been forced to be tested for some diseases and paid for the testing. Also as a Foster Care Parent was tested and had my well tested etc. It's like this, we either play by the rules of the game or work to get the rules changed. No one says you have to have your animals tested; just that you can not participate in some "games" unless you do.

I think, since deer and cows are both clovens like goats, and both get TB, it would be really interesting to know just why no cases have been found in goats. Is it there and tests are ineffective?? Do they have something that makes them resistant or immune to it?? So many questions and so few answers because for the most part goat people have been known for a very long time to spend so much time fighting among themselves and who has the corner on the market for the RIGHT way to do things, that they have never been able to unite and get some hard research done.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), November 20, 2001.