[AmyBoogie]

I know there are going to be tons of opinions here and I've been doing a ton of research. In my area it's hard to find anyone that registers and tests their goats, as well as anyone that vaccinates. Most people around here don't vaccinate for CD/T let alone CL. Mention CL vaccine to any dairy or breeder and they give me a look like they want to kick me off their farm for mentioning it.

I've talked to my vet about the vaccine. Facts:
-There is in fact no test currently that will differentiate in serology the titers from an infected goat and one that has been vaccinated. Your vaccinated goat will forever look positive in serology tests.
-In a CL positive goat the vaccine can lessen the incidents of abscesses and in some cases prevent them from happening all together. Not curing but helping so the animal will not spread the disease.
-The studies are not willing to say with 100% certainty that a vaccinated animal will not contract CL but the likely hood of that happening is really low. Thereby making it seem like it's a good bet that a vaccinated animal will not contract CL from an outside source.

Pros:
-Lessen CL abscesses in pos. goats.
-Safety for the goats that are neg for CL

Cons:
-goats will forever look pos. in serology tests.

So I've talked to people all over about why being positive is a big deal when it's YOUR animal and here's some of those answers.

1. If you run a state authorized dairy, the state may come in and require new testing at any time. If at some time they decide to test for CL then your animals would be pos and you would be out of business.
-I'm not sure if this is a possible thing but I know people are often afraid of what the gov't might do at any time in an effort to shut down smaller businesses and that's a valid fear but CL testing would shut down most of the bigger operations so IMO, that fear would be unfounded. They only seem to want to hurt the little guy, not the whole industry.

2. If you sold an animal you vaccinated, but told the person that this is the case that the animal was vaccinated and they didn't listen or re-sold without informing then the animal might then be culled if tested pos in serology.
-This fear seems like it has footing to me. I don't know how to change this. CL is rampant at fairs. I just heard another story yesterday of a big fair and animals with oozing abscesses and the herd owners indignant about being asked to leave with the one animal but they had already infected the pen they were in and whatever else that animal had oozed on (if it was indeed CL). Damage was done but only the show chair people knew about this. What animals could have unknowingly picked up CL that day?

ok. so I know there are tons of opinions and I want to hear them.
Why do YOU think anyone should or shouldn't vaccinate? Why shouldn't we all vaccinate and have it be common practice (like CD/T mostly is) so that they make the vaccine with markers on it and change the serology tests?
onder:

 

[enchantedgoats]

i know that i would rather vaccinate, but there needs to be a uniform way of id ing the vaccinated ones from cl positive ones. i think the serum company could do that otherwise you would need a tag, tatoo, notching of the ear. that is something that usda would have to decide on that. they developed the double heart tatoo for brucellosis along with an orange eartag. maybe something like that. i know that some states vaccinate for tb and notch the ear in a certain place.
i thought there was a serology difference, but maybe i'm wrong. anyway if they get this issue solved you bet i would vaccinate.

 

[AmyBoogie]

I thought there was a serology test that differentiated between real pos and vaccinated. I have seen articles that alluded to it but then I read a paper put out by Washington state, they say there isn't a way to differentiate. I'm willing to believe them.

I've heard that they're fairly helpful so I need to contact them just to see if there has been any change in that. The article that stated that was from the fall of 2012.

 

[ptgoats45]

I vaccinated my boer herd once. All of them reacted to the vaccine in some way or another, they either got an abscess from it, or were very swollen where it was given. Unless the vaccine company has changed the vaccine since I used it, I wouldn't use it again. That said, I did test all of those goats for CL, not right after they were vaccinated maybe a year or two and all were negative so I'm not sure I believe that they will always test positive. If it is a problem in your area you probably should vaccinate so your goats are protected. Are your goats registered? Maybe you could tattoo them somewhere else (either tail if they are eared goats or in the flank if they are LaMancha's) with CLV (for CL vaccinated) and have that added to their papers as one of their identifying tattoos.

 

[AmyBoogie]

My goats are registered and that's a fabulous idea for tattooing and having that added to the papers. I wonder if the ADGA would do that.

The vaccine changed in 2012. Before then it was rated for sheep but when used on goats, it didn't test well and was not recommended.

Honestly, I'm not sure how my area is except that no one tests and I know people report seeing goats at many of the fairs that we want to do as having abscesses. I admit, I'm a little afraid of taking my goats to a fair.

 

[toth boer goats]

The vaccine has been out for sheep for a very long time and some breeders used it on goats ,with reactions of CL lumps. I am afraid to use it, as the goats vaccinated, will test at a low positive.


Now, they just made a new one for goats, it is to new for me to know what the outcome is.

 

[AmyBoogie]

The sheep one did sound really sketchy to me too. I read the Colorado Serums papers on it and there is no way I would have used that on my goats.

The goat vaccine seems to not have the same reactions and being used with some success.
I have talked to my local vet at length about it. They didn't have any strong opinions about it one way or the other so I feel like I was able to get really good unbiased information.

Yes, the testing positive from here on out is a bummer but if there was some way to record a vaccinated goat, I would think that would be the way to go. If there was a human vaccine for cancer that would make me test positive in a blood test yet I would never develop tumors, I think I might jump on that needle.

 

[KW Farms]

I don't know what to think of it really...i'm on the fence about whether or not it's a good idea to vaccinate. I personally won't be vaccinating my herd anytime soon.