# Scrapies Tags...



## MollieGoat (Jul 7, 2012)

Do scrapies tags have to be on EVERY animal that is raised on my farm, or just the does? I have heard that they only have to be on the does, but I have also heard that they need to be on the whethers/bucklings too...


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

I'm not sure since I only use the tattoos.

Could you contact your state's livestock board or the USDA (scrapie program)?


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## BlueEyedFainters (Aug 18, 2012)

Curious as well.. and what is a scrapies tag for? My doe came with one (which popped off), but not my doeling..


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I as well ...have registered animals so ...they do not need them...however... if you sell a unregistered goat or take a goat to the auction ...you will have to place a scrapies tag in their ear... :wink:


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## MollieGoat (Jul 7, 2012)

Thank you! :hug: No mine aren't registered. I am selling two whethers so I wasn't sure if they needed a tag or not. I will give them one though! :thumb:


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## BlueEyedFainters (Aug 18, 2012)

So does this mean I purchased my goats illegally?? Only my doe had a tag.. the buck, buckling and doeling did not.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Thank you! :hug: No mine aren't registered. I am selling two whethers so I wasn't sure if they needed a tag or not. I will give them one though! :thumb:


 :thumbup:



> So does this mean I purchased my goats illegally?? Only my doe had a tag.. the buck, buckling and doeling did not.


 I would contact the breeder/seller...maybe the one that has a scrapies tag... isn't from that breeder....ask... if the breeder has tags...if they do not.... you will have to get some of your own.. in order to sell them or at an auction sale....then ..you will need to scrapies tag them..... 
You may never want to sell them... but...it is a way... for the scrapies people... to track a scrapies infected goat... back to the original owner.... :wink:


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

I'm going off of memory and could be very wrong -- but I think they only need scrapie tags when they are older than 6 months.

and not sure about the wether - but I thought it was for breeding stock only.

Again - if uncertain - the USDA folks would know. 

:shrug:


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## BlueEyedFainters (Aug 18, 2012)

toth boer goats said:


> I would contact the breeder/seller...maybe the one that has a scrapies tag... isn't from that breeder....ask... if the breeder has tags...if they do not.... you will have to get some of your own.. in order to sell them or at an auction sale....then ..you will need to scrapies tag them.....
> You may never want to sell them... but...it is a way... for the scrapies people... to track a scrapies infected goat... back to the original owner.... :wink:


I didn't get them from a breeder- I got them from someone re-homing them because they kept eating their tomato garden. The doe came with a tag, her 2 kids did not, and the buck did not.

So because she was tagged- that means she has scrapies?? I'm so confused in this wild world of goats. Her tag is PA1977- maybe there's a way for me to trace back to her breeder? I'd like to know more about her anyway. These guys are just pets.. no auctions.. no meat.. just pets.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

All goats should have a form of identification if they are sold or leave your property per the USDA. A scrapie tag is for unregistered goats and registered goats with tattoos and microchips matching their registration paperwork will work for registered animals. I personally hate putting tags in so if the goat won't be shown I usually just put their assigned tag in with their registrations.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I didn't get them from a breeder- I got them from someone re-homing them because they kept eating their tomato garden. The doe came with a tag, her 2 kids did not, and the buck did not.
> 
> So because she was tagged- that means she has scrapies?? I'm so confused in this wild world of goats. Her tag is PA1977- maybe there's a way for me to trace back to her breeder? I'd like to know more about her anyway. These guys are just pets.. no auctions.. no meat.. just pets.


 Oh I see...
The PA1977 is from one previous owner that sold her... that inserted that tag....no ..it doesn't mean... she has scrapies at all ...the USDA wants to keep track....and a unregistered animal can be identified.... in case an outbreak does happen.... Not sure how you would go about tracking the scrapies tag owner at that time... I do know that the USDA scrapies division has that info just not sure if they will release it to you or not....


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## BlueEyedFainters (Aug 18, 2012)

I guess I can assume that there has been some shady transferring of this herd then.. but whatever, they're here, they're cared for, they're vaccinated, they're not going anywhere. 

And I agree- I dislike the tags in the ears.. Honey Bunz has 2 big gaping holes in her ear from the tag(s)  I will hang onto the tag, but will not put it back in her ear.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

just make sure you keep the tag with her if you sell her.  As for the buck and babies..... you'll need to get tags for them from the USDA under your herdname. If you contact the USDA they should be able to tell you what breeder/ vet put in that tag. Are these fainters? If so, there aren't a lot of breeders in PA....so it should be easy to find the original breeder.


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## BlueEyedFainters (Aug 18, 2012)

oh boy... I don't have a herd name.. I thought I was just keeping pets.. :?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug:


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