# First of many to go soon



## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

The sad reality of exporting goats is about to start on Tuesday if all goes according to plan. Rowes' Maddison Rialto reached his collection target Friday with over 300 units of semen ready to export, meaning he'll likely be euthanized Tuesday and sent in for Scrapies testing. He's massive, he's dangerous, he's a PITB, but it doesn't make it any easier after caring for him since November. It's been a long road and a massive learning experience, but soon all 11 bucks will be headed down the same path. So, I'm posting this a little ahead of schedule. Tomorrow I'll be giving him some extra feed and a big hug.

Rialto was the winner of several State Fair championships in California, including Get of Sire and Senior Buck. His sons and daughters have won many times themselves, and he will leave quite a large legacy, including the start of a whole new one in Australia. 
http://www.bigfun.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/6540-Toggenburg-Show.pdf
http://www.bigfun.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/6540-Open-Toggenburg-Show.pdf


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is a shame that they have to euthanize them. Seems like such a waste if they are champions.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Thats what I was thinking. Why do they have to be euthanized? 

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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

They have to be completely necropsied for genetic and other types of disease. Scrapies can only be tested from brain tissue. They will look at a lot of other things and grow about a thousand cultures as well.
This isn't an easy thing to put together at all. When you do it, you go in with the full knowledge that you are sacrificing your animals so that another country can have the genetics you are sending. 
Once that sperm reaches Australia, it will be held in quarantine and some of it retested again by their government, more cultures grown. It may be 5 years before the goat producers actually get any of it.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Wow. Well...that makes sense. What an undertaking.

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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How sad indeed.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

Awww....how bitter sweet. :hug:


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

From my understanding the goal is to use it in this upcoming breeding season. Whether that will happen or not is another story.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

TheMixedBag said:


> From my understanding the goal is to use it in this upcoming breeding season. Whether that will happen or not is another story.


 That will depend on the whimsy of the Australian government. They are usually pretty good as long as all the paperwork is perfect. Things are starting to a little easier for some of this stuff.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

We necropsied Rialto this afternoon. I didn't expect to be allowed to attend, but I did. It was heartbreaking, but fascinating all the same. I watched a dog and a cow getting a necropsy done while I waited for the vet, and we examined every organ, took as many samples as possible. We are hoping to get a small idea of the effects of small dry-lot pens as well as copper deficiency and how the calcium/phosphorous balance is on their current diet. Sonoma (the saanen) and Cairo (one of the nigerian dwarfs) are scheduled for a necropsy in the next few weeks, and hopefully the rest will be done and ready for theirs not long after.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

There are domestic straws available on everyone, and Sonoma and Rialto put up 400 units, give or take a few and not including the domestic units.

Trust me, I'm not exactly thrilled that this is what has to be done, but to wait until they die of old age has too many problems, the least of which is a hold on the semen until scrapies testing is finished. 4+ years is a long time to hold a goat in quarantine, which would be a requirement. Truth be told, we never would have gotten Rialto if he hadn't become so large and dangerous to handle. He. He's slammed and pinned me many times, and with him being 108 kilos, that's not exactly safe, certainly not an attitude anyone wants to feed for 4 years for only 400 straws. He lived a good life and went quickly and quietly.


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

I don't get it? Why did you have to euthanize them and what does it have to do with Australia?


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

He is exporting semen to Australia. Because there has to be extensive testing before the semen can actually be used...they have to euthanize and do a necropsy. 

Carmen, Oleo Acres LLC, NW Ks


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

We have 10 (formerly 11) bucks in isolation for semen export. A scrapies test (among other tests, they want samples from other things too) is a requirement to export, and there is no reliable test that doesn't involve testing the nervous system directly.

I was allowed to attend this necropsy and will be attending a couple of others as we look to be doing this again in October and already have 3 bucks that may be staying until then at least.


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

So you give up your bucks just to send there seman to Australia. Why?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

To give the Australian breeder good American genetics. This group is going to have the first Nigerian semen ever sent to Australia. The Australian breeders will be able to cross it on there own miniature goats and create a better small milking breed with it.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

How exciting to contribute to the well-being and diversity of Australian herds


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

So why do we have to do this to our animals, why cant they just deal with the face there might be some probs, or they could buy there own nigerians? I hope there paying you well for all the sadness that at they are putting you through.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

We cannot live export to Australia. Scrapies cannot be tested for while the animal is alive. If the owners weren't willing to make the sacrifice, then they wouldn't have sold them in the first place. Most of them probably felt honored that their genetics were considered good enough for someone halfway around the world chose to buy that buck out of all the bucks he can pick from. 

It's tough, it's miserable at times. However, I think that the betterment of the breed should be a global effort, which unfortunately involves situations like this


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

Companies Clinton Sonoma and Lost Valley TB Cairo were just sent off to necropsy. Shining Moon X-Factor is going tomorrow.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

it's exciting, but so sad at the same time.


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

I'm sure Australia is paying well for the straws.


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

Its sad that you have to slowly wait for each of them to go. it might have been easier for them to go all at once.


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## DMSMBoers (Dec 23, 2013)

Its sad but im sure exciting to be part of the whole process. Also glad that a country would go to such lenths to better their goat herds.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

It might have been easier, if we had been better staffed (the lab, too. 11 bucks is a tall order). However, it's also more expensive to feed out the first ones done while waiting on the last ones to finish. The way we're doing it (1-2 at a time), the lab has time to get the necropsies done, find out if anything is being done wrong and the buck's owner doesn't have to pay for feed for him to do nothing.

I thought yesterday was going to be bad, but there was something strangely calming about how quietly they went out. It was still heartbreaking, but not as stressful as I thought it would be. A few last scratches, a quiet nibble and lights out.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

although I understand the why, What a sad thing to have to do in the name of progress...to destroy an animal in his prime......my love for my goats could not imagine doing it....its a shame. :sigh:
Mixbag, You are strong to be there, I'm sure it was an invaluable learning experience...


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Oh, these goats aren't in their prime. They are a few months from being sterile. They are all old sires, most of them used in this country to the point of inbreeding. Are they our best? Nah, probably not, but, they still bolster the bloodlines in Australia and when the time comes they may return the the favor. 
If, someday, every producer of goats in America will comply with the Scrapies program, then we can export live goats and goat meat to countries that need it. Right now, it's just not going to happen...


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I think it's kind of sad too. But at the same time...it IS a part of life and part of raising livestock (which is actually what goats are...they are truly not pets) I think we should be proud that we have some strong enough genetic lines and breeders who are working for those top-notch genetics that other countries are wanting in on it! If these are truly some of the older genetics, then this is a much nicer and far more useful way for these guys to go out than getting sent to the butcher. I, for one, am glad that MixedBag showed up on our forum to tell us about this venture.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

We said goodbye to Shining Moon X-Factor and Bending Tree Ranch Red Cloud this morning. I've been waiting for this one for a while. Red Cloud has fused knee joints and often acted like they hurt. It's only a small consolation but a happier thought nonetheless.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks for keeping us updated. I'd love to see a video of the necropsy. I used to attend to cow necropsies and 
the internal workings are really fascinating. (My husband hates when I field dress deer, every thing gets looked at! It's more
of a surgery than a field dressing!) I know, I'm weird! :roll:


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

Unfortunately they don't allow recordings, at least not by visitors. Red Cloud's would have been the one to attend, I was interested in seeing what had happened to his knees.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Hats off to you MixedBag...you are helping so many people and animals :clap:


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

Castle Rock Guy Noir and S & L Farms Wyatt Earp are being euthanized in an hour. This will mark the end of the project, with 3 bucks remaining over the summer to join the new bucks coming in the fall.


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## Mamaboyd (Oct 10, 2013)

TheMixedBag said:


> We said goodbye to Shining Moon X-Factor and Bending Tree Ranch Red Cloud this morning. I've been waiting for this one for a while. Red Cloud has fused knee joints and often acted like they hurt. It's only a small consolation but a happier thought nonetheless.


Bending Tree Ranch Red Cloud was a handsome boy. I have BTR lines in some of my goats. So sad but I understand the importance of doing this. I missed out on getting a buck last week who's one grandfather was BTR Red Cloud


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

Him and his sire both were absolutely gorgeous (I would have loved to have kids by Wyatt. Even in his old age -8- he looked absolutely stunning).


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