# Testing for CAE/CL/Johnes, etc......



## tydakfarms (Jan 2, 2015)

At what age do you start testing for CAE/CL/Johnes, etc?? Or do you test at all? Why or why not? I have 5 new babies from 5 weeks old to 3 months old and just wondering if I should test and if so at what age. Thanks!!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

6+ months, never before that age.
Since we have a small herd & don't buy but once every few years, we only test if we are planning to use outside bucks.
My own buck is tested in the event he covers outside does & those girls must be documented clean.
You could be my best friend but you gotta produce that paper.


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## tydakfarms (Jan 2, 2015)

nancy d said:


> 6+ months, never before that age.
> Since we have a small herd & don't buy but once every few years, we only test if we are planning to use outside bucks.
> My own buck is tested in the event he covers outside does & those girls must be documented clean.
> You could be my best friend but you gotta produce that paper.


I agree on producing that paper!! Thank you for your reply. I just want to do things right and not waste my time or money if something isn't necessary.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

If you do test early, Id just test for CAE after 6 months. Johnes take a bit longer before it can be detected. Say a year old for that. As for the CL tests. Its still not an exact science. So dont rely solely on the test results.


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## tydakfarms (Jan 2, 2015)

TDG-Farms said:


> If you do test early, Id just test for CAE after 6 months. Johnes take a bit longer before it can be detected. Say a year old for that. As for the CL tests. Its still not an exact science. So dont rely solely on the test results.


Thank you for your input!! I had read that sometimes you get false negatives and false positives. And then I've read that they can only get CAE from nursing a mother who is CAE positive. And the whole CAE thing still confuses me. If the mother was negative for CAE then why do people say they are practicing "CAE free" by pulling babies and bottle feeding? Probably a whole other can of worms but it's all just so conflicting to me. :shrug::GAAH:


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

CAE is a retro virus. Kinda like the goat version of HIV. It also has two stages but they are contagious throughout their lives once they get it. Milk is the most common way its transmitted. But direct blood contact is another way. Slight chance during breeding but I have never actually heard of a confirmed case of it happening. Kids can also get it while being born if they ingest fluid from their mom (blood or other uterine fluids). But if you show your goats or do anything that puts them in direct contact with someone elses goats, there will always be a slight risk of getting it. This is why people do prevention. Or maybe they started off with some CAE positive animals but have done their program and are testing and everything is good but still follow the program regardless. It just gives you piece of mind in doing prevention. Not to mention, prevention is considerably cheaper and less time consuming then treating.


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## tydakfarms (Jan 2, 2015)

TDG-Farms said:


> CAE is a retro virus. Kinda like the goat version of HIV. It also has two stages but they are contagious throughout their lives once they get it. Milk is the most common way its transmitted. But direct blood contact is another way. Slight chance during breeding but I have never actually heard of a confirmed case of it happening. Kids can also get it while being born if they ingest fluid from their mom (blood or other uterine fluids). But if you show your goats or do anything that puts them in direct contact with someone elses goats, there will always be a slight risk of getting it. This is why people do prevention. Or maybe they started off with some CAE positive animals but have done their program and are testing and everything is good but still follow the program regardless. It just gives you piece of mind in doing prevention. Not to mention, prevention is considerably cheaper and less time consuming then treating.


 Thank you for clearing that up for me. I have searched and searched for any information telling how CAE was transmitted other than through nursing and haven't found a thing. I appreciate you're knowledge :hi5:


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## nigies4ever (Sep 19, 2012)

Another thing that's happened in our area is people re-using their tattoo kit without sanitizing it...if you have anyone tattoo/castrate, etc. for you, make sure their equipment is cleaned in between goats. Several goats a couple hours north of me ended up with CAE like this because someone was careless.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

nigies4ever said:


> Another thing that's happened in our area is people re-using their tattoo kit without sanitizing it...if you have anyone tattoo/castrate, etc. for you, make sure their equipment is cleaned in between goats. Several goats a couple hours north of me ended up with CAE like this because someone was careless.


Yep, a good point. Never reuse anything that comes in direct contact with blood without cleaning it first. Syringes should never be used more then once per goat.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

There is a whole thread on CAE on here called CAE discussion I believe...very informative..I test for CAE but I don't pull my kids...my goats don't leave home so I reduce exposer and so don't see the need to practice CAE prevention...


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