Have just had some interesting news. The biggest dairy goat show here is Sydney royal show which is held at easter time. So a couple weeks away from the show, suddenly exhibitors are getting these letters. The letters say: 1. that the regulations have changed and where they used to require all dairy goats to have a -ve CAE blood test, that requirement is no longer needed. Goats do not need to be -ve tested or come from an accredited herd to be accepted onto the showgrounds 2. last year, two animals from two exhibitors were admitted onto the show grounds with a -ve test, which were in fact +ve for cae. these goats were stalled and milked in close proximity to other animals from accredited free herds and those which were tested -ve. there is no knowing how many animals contracted the disease at last years show from these two infected animals 3. goats from accredited herds that attend this years show, with its changed health regulations, must be quarrantined when they go back home, retested within 30 days and may have their whole herd accreditation revoked. This is really, really worrying. What concerns me the most is that infected animals were present and milked on the showgrounds, and yet the RAS is doing NOTHING to ensure that this horrible situation is prevented from being repeated! It baffles me that they would accept untested goats when surely that is just asking for more infected animals to come to the showground, for more exhibitors to go home with more than just ribbons. Surely, the logical thing to do would be to TIGHTEN the health regulations and make sure, once and for all, that this situation does not happen again!! Incredible!!
here is a link to an oz discussion board which shows the full letter and some people's views http://www.dairygoatnsw.com.au/forum/ph ... ?f=2&t=225
My mother has just given me something else to think about ... boer and angora goats contract this disease too, and yet most boer and angora exhibitors are not aware of it. Which not only puts them in a vulnerable position to contract the disease, but it also makes them more likely to spread it from the showground and further without knowing ... If this sort of thing goes on, we will find ourselves in a situation whereby CAE infection is common!
sounds like something that would happen in the US. It might be a ploy to get the government more involved in the future. (ok so not everything is a government conspiracy but someone usually has an agenda) im sorry Keren that this is happening -- is there a way to fight it? the nice part is that CAE is only known to be passed through the mlk from mom to kids or from blood to blood contact. So unless the goats drink the infected milk or they have an open sore that comes in contact wtih the infected goats open sore/blood then chances of infection are slim to none.
This is the sort of thing that makes me not take my goats anywhere. Makes it take a lot longer to get known and sell them, but o well. Jan
:/ they have deleted the entire topic on that board ... which I think is completely wrong as EVERYONE needs to be informed about this issue, every member of the DGSA, not just the ones who entered for sydney ... if it wasnt for that post I wouldnt have known about it ...
