I always tell people new to goats to spend the time and money it takes to ensure that they purchase CAE free goats. Unfortunately, they often get caught up in the excitement of getting goats and tend to settle for the first goat(s) they can find.
I’m going to share our story of CAE. Before I got goats, I learned about CAE and knew that I wanted CAE free goats. So I asked the breeder if the goats I was buying were CAE free. I was told yes. I bought two goats and my children all combined their money and spent $450 to purchase their own goat. They loved that goat and doted on her. When she freshened for the first time, her udder was rock hard and we could not get any milk out of it. We spent several weeks massaging and trying to relieve the edema and swelling to no avail. My children cried and cried when we had to send her to the sale barn.
That was my first year with goats and we weren’t pulling blood and testing yet. I trusted the breeder and thought I would offend this person if I asked to see test results. My children and I learned the hard way that if a breeder has nothing to hide, they’ll gladly share their test results with you.
Many people selling goats will tell you that CAE is a non-issue. I strongly disagree. If you’re still not convinced, read this article that I wrote on CAE in goats and the symptoms that a CAE positive goat can start exhibiting.
Most people become very attached to their first goats. If your goats start showing CAE symptoms, it is usually enough to devastate you and your children. Some people have such a bad experience they are turned off goats completely. Don’t do that to yourself and your family. Go to the effort of making sure the goats you purchase are CAE free. You won’t regret it.
PJ
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