# How do you get Scrapie Tags and Register Goats?



## BiGtImEfArMeRs4 (Oct 23, 2004)

We would like to get scrapie tags for our goats? What all shots will they need to get, and when? Also, what do you have to do to get them? To register goats, what all do you have to know? Also, what all do you need to do? How do you register the goats? 
Thanks!
Heather


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## Meg Z (Jun 8, 2004)

I'm not part of the scrapie program here, but I think you would have to contact your state agricultural department about the scrapie program.

As far as registration, your goats should have come with paperwork for you to complete and send in to the respective goat association. With some associations, if you have a goat with no papers, but you think it's a good representative of a particular breed, you can contact the association. They will have a representative memeber inspect the goat, and if it's good enough will allow you to register as a grade.

If you have dairy goats of any breeds, contact the American Dairy Goat Association. If you have meat goats, there is an association at least for Boers. I assume there is an association for angoras and cashmeres, too, and maybe one for each breed.

For vaccinations, the association website will also have health information on any particular breed. Your vet can help, too, of course. And you can buy vaccines at many places...Caprine supply is one on-line. Some local feed stores carry them, or will get them on request. 

Someone may come along with better information soon.

Meg


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## mammawof3 (Jan 31, 2004)

too order scrapie tags, call1-866-USDA-tag-department of animal health-they will assign you a herd #,and send tags-still "free",far as i know-will not be in the future,i was told.But i was also told, the only thing needing a scrapie tag put in was wethers over 18 monthes, or non registered stock..they cantrack reg. by numbers.As far as registering, you have to contact one of the organisations-ect.-do you have a kid with a transfer sheet? You can get applications for registry,always less expensive if you are a member.Boer goats-ABGA,IBGA-dairy goats-ADGA,(maybe a few others?)
Shots are a matter of personal preference, most people give CD&T-i recommend that practice-regular worming-
what breed do you have?


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## Ellie5 (Mar 31, 2005)

If you have only a few goats sometimes it's just better to have your vet put an ear tag in the goats ears. If you have a large herd call the phone number listed above to get the free tags-(sometimes these free tags are big & bulky & get stuck in the fence tho). I *think* the tags come in lots of 100.

My breed, and maybe other breeds too, don't need a scrapies tag if the goat has the proper tattoos, and the tattoo # is listed on the registration papers along with a picture of the goat. As long as the registration papers accompany the goat off my farm, it is legal according to the APHIS Program.

All goats including whethers, if leaving your farm, need to be tagged/ID'd EXCEPT goats going directly to slaughter(under 18 mo's??). I don't recall the exact specifics but they can be had by doing a google search for USDA APHIS program.


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## BiGtImEfArMeRs4 (Oct 23, 2004)

Well I just talked to my friend tonight in 4H. She said for her dairy goats, they use a tatoo. How are these? What are they like? How do you get them? Also, for the registration, do you have to know like what stuff?

We have Boer, Nubian, Lamancha, Saanen, Alpine, Toggenburg, Oberhasli, and Pgmy goats. Only a few are purebred. None of them are registered. 

Thanks!
Heather


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## Ellie5 (Mar 31, 2005)

Here the ear tags get caught on the fence a lot. Luckily noone ripped their ear tags out-yet. All my goats are registered so in the future I'll be tattooing. 

Tattoos tend to be hard to read over time. Supposedly green ink works better, and reading the tattoo with a flashlight from the backside of the ear makes it easier to read. Each registery has a different tattooing process-depending on if it's a meat goat or a dairy goat. You have to register your herd name initials with each registry. The tattoo is a combination of the herd hame initials in one ear, and the letter representation of the year & the kid# born that year on your farm. You would have to check with each registry as to their rules on tattooing.

You should have received a filled out application with your goats for registering? I've never registered a "grade" goat so I can't help you there. I've always received the application from the buyer or bought the goat pre-registered.


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## bill not in oh (Jul 27, 2004)

Registered goats:
Acceptable:
Ear tags indicating premis ID No. (Obtain from your state branch of USDA) with Animal ID # (tagged or tattooed)
Tattoos: Right ear - Premis ID # / Left ear - Animal ID #
Microchip providing above info

Unregistered goats: same as above except no microchips and you will need a receipt or bill of sale from the seller.

Either way, registration papers need to accompany the freakin' goats whereever they go - vet, fair, show, park for a picnic....

It's a real pain in the butt for goat owners, especially since there have only been 9 (I think) recorded cases of scrappies in goats in North America - ever.


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## Eveningstar (Aug 11, 2005)

Here we don't have our goats tested for scrapies, but we do have to tag the sheep before sale or when moving them from one farm to another. It's a bigger deal for sheep than goats in this area. However, we DO get our goats tested for TB - every stinkin' year. The tags are put in the goats ear by the vet when the TB injection is given, or you can use a tatoo from the herd registration. The registration must be current and valid to use these, otherwise they put a tag in the ear.

I,ve never registered a goat because I don't participate in shows or the like. And for what I have them for, it is an added expense that I don't need. I could go back and do that, as I have papers for the does and bucks I use but I just don't see the point especially in our location. 
If you don't have papers for your goats, I know the ADGA does registration by "native on appearance". Perhaps some of you that have been on here longer or have more experience with registering can explain that a little better.


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## bill not in oh (Jul 27, 2004)

The scrappies program is a federal (USDA) program that is administered through their state offices. I'm not certain of the date that it became effective, but no one is exempt from the regulations. Like most efforts of this scale that the Fed attempts to get involved in, it is virtually impossible to enforce with everyone that owns goats or sheep. If, however, you are randomly caught the fine is substantial. There are exemptions (such as goats raised exclusively for slaughter prior to [I believe] 18 months) but no areas are exempted from the program. One way they are attempting to begin enforcement is checking for program registration at the county and state fairs. Our county fair was 'targeted' this year and any goats not properly registered in the program were not allowed to stay on the fairgrounds. I'm fairly certain that the checks will eventually become backtracked to farms of origination through bills of sale, breed registrations, etc. and probably by 2030 or so they will have 60-80% of goats enrolled and several hundred farmers fined - and the problem still won't be solved and the program will have cost us several million dollars in administrative expense tada tada tada...


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## BiGtImEfArMeRs4 (Oct 23, 2004)

None of our goats are registered. But we have a boer goat that looks like she is a good percentage boer. So we could call the USBGA and have them come out and look at her? But she could only end up being registerd as a grade? And for the scrapie tags, which is easiest, tags or tatoos? And to get tatoos do you call the same number as you would for the tags? 
Thanks!
Heather


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

Here Heather let me try 

My goats are all registered with the American Dairy Goat Association. So they all carry my herd tattoos in their right ear and year born and order born in their left. When the scrapie program was coming into mainstream, the Dairy goat folks (including me) and the boer goat folks ABGA...were instumental in talking the USDA into having our tag numbers be linked to our unique registration tattoos. So if down the road a goat of mine was linked to a herd of sheep with scrapie, my right ear tattoo would lead the USDA from the farm she is ill in to my farm. I would then be able to show them record that I sold the offending doe 2 years ago and to whom, so I would not have to be quaranteened and loose about 10% of my stock for testing.

You do not have registered stock. So your goats would wear ear tags. And honestly unless you need health certificates to show or to sell across state lines, or to sell instate to someone else who is using the scrapie program, just keep them in a drawer and only put them in if you need to.

Record keeping is of course part of owning and breeding livestock. IF you are just doing this from home milk or meat, never sell anything than just keep the free ear tags in the drawer. If you move to a breeder selling livestock, than think about registering so your tattoos can than be used in place of ear tags.

So call the USDA number, sign up in your state for the program, have them send you the pliers and your ear tags, than decide what you are going to do with your goats.

If your goats conform to breed standards, LaMancha's have correct ears, Nubians have pendulous ears and roman noses, your other breeds are the correct color, than think about recording them with ADGA, native on appearance. A breeder in your area who can see the goats will give you a letter that each of your goats and the name you make up for her does in fact conform to breed standard. You would join ADGA, get your unique tattoo for the right ear, and then call the USDA and tell them to link your ear tag number for your farm with your ADGA tattoo sequence. By breeding to registered purebred bucks, your LaManchas would become purebreds, your other breeds Americans. Having records of the breedings, along with even barn records for milk simply increase the amount your get for your stock. It has little to do with showing, of course showing and appraising and real milk records add even more $$$'s.

Sorry I am no help with the boers. Vicki


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## Eveningstar (Aug 11, 2005)

Vicki: For native on appearance, I am assuming the breeder must also be a current member of ADGA. Is that correct? or do they also have to be an appraiser? The person registering would also have to send pictures of the goats in each breed they wanted to register if I'm not mistaken? I heard about doing this awhile back but I've never done it so I remember bits and pieces. 

A word of caution on the ear tags being kept in the drawer: Maybe procedures are different in TX but the vets here could get a severe fine if they did not put ear tags in and send in a form identifiying the animal. Now that is for TB testing. Is that mandatory for you? Scrapie testing is not mandatory for sheep here but in order to move sheep, they must have the tag in their ear. Scrapie testing for goats is not done here because it is linked to the TB tag. 

Thanks for the info on registering.


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

It's just a member in good standing, no photo, just a note from them stating she does conform to breed standard. I am not one to do it very often, because I am stickler about breed standard...and if I even detect boer on the property I will not give my OK. Not to say another breeder won't do it 

In regsitered goats ADGA or ABGA (and I am sure the other associations boer and AGS...they simply didn't have representatives at the meeting. Tattoos that match your registration papers on the animal, are your scrapie tags. You do have to be signed up in your state. My vet knows all this, and we do send scrapie tags in a bag, with the health certificates, and also the Scrapie number for my farm appears on health certificates for export, but we do not have to tag anything that is tattoed with registration papers.

Many the county extension agent has ruined tattoos for 4H kids showing dairy stock, by demanding that they place scrapie tags in the goats ears for showing at the county show. They are wrong, and can be proven wrong with a letter from the state health commission in your area. If a doe like this than wins at an ADGA show and her Tattoo can not be read because of the hole from the scrapie tag, or the rip it caused when it was taken out, the goat forfiets the win. Sad.

All the red tape and hoops we jump through have ways around them, it's as simple as being informed. Get the laws for your state, don't get them second hand. 

It's really a non issue if you don't have sheep and don't purchase stock that is ran with sheep, I go one step more and won't purchase from those who raise sheep period. But isn't the test for scrapie still death to the goat? Vicki


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## Eveningstar (Aug 11, 2005)

ADGA must have eased up on a couple requirements for registering native on appearance. It used to be photos, a breeder in good standing, and the ok of a person who could judge goats. 
Yes, the only way you can actually run a test for scrapie on a goat, sheep,or BSE on a cow is by examination of actual brain tissue. In which case the animal would either have to be put down or has died. 
Do you think it all depends upon the judge that you get at a show? Some will make you forfeit while the tags or tears in a goats ear from a tag will not bother other judges? It seems like a good judge would take that into consideration and put more emphasis on conformation than a tear in an ear caused by a prevention program tag.
Yes the herd id and the indiviual goat id (ear tatoos) would suffice for TB and scrapie identification here in Mich. But if you are not registered, no herd name ear tatoo, then that would mean an additional tag (the scrapie id tag and a TB tag) for us here. This is really the pits because as another person said, the tags can get caught on fences or more often than not, other goats tear them out. Now, lets say I get registered with the ADGA and I have those tags in the ears and I get a herd ID name. I still cannot lawfully remove the tags! Does TX make it mandatory for you to test goats and cows for TB on a yearly basis? If goats are kept and there are no cows on the farm, then we do not have to TB test. The scrapie id would still be mandatory though.

I have sheep, goats, cows, and chickens. The sheep and goats run in pens next to each other. I had been down to two does this past year and just let them run with the sheep. However, I learned a lesson the hard way. One of the goats became a "sheep hit goat". It happen both times during feeding time (of course) and so fast I could do nothing about it. She would butt the sheep in just the right spot while the sheep were eating causing them to choke to death. I'd like to sell the doe for butcher but she has some good lines in her background so as long as I keep her away from sheep, I should be ok. The other doe did fine with the sheep.
They all have their own personalities don't they?


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

Perhaps you were a memeber before me, but since 1990 till now it's always just been another member in good standing, simply stating on paper that the animal conforms to breed standard. No photos, no judge.

Of course a judge wouldn't look at a rip in the ear or a tag in the ear for placing the goats. What I meant was, once you have won the class, the judge reads your tattoos in the ear or tailweb and they must match what is written on the registration form. If he can not read it because the hole or rip scars it, than the child forfeits the win, and this happend in our area at the county level non ADGA show, where the extension agent made all the kids put scrapie tags in the ear, then the Alpine winning at an ADGA show could not have her tattoos read, she forfeited her GCH win.


TB testing here is all about export and grade A dairy. Testing dairy goats is futile. We can ship into Michigan, and did this last March/April, without scrapie tags or TB testing, perhaps because of the young age of the animals.

I don't know of any ADGA does in Michigan that are tagged, and a herd was just dispersed into my area of Texas with one doe coming to me, and none have TB or scrapie tags. We have two herds in Michigan on our list and neither tag their dairy goats. So it's got to be the cows you have. I of course have no clue what the law is in Michigan.

The scrapie law is Federal, but open for interpertation by each state. The new ID program is going to be the hardest one to get around. Vicki


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## Eveningstar (Aug 11, 2005)

I was going to join in '96 but decided not to. 

Scrapie tags are mandatory (anywhere)for the sale and/or moving of any sheep and goats, newborn or old, and whether you have cows or not has no bearing on it. Tags are not needed if you have a registered herd name and have tatoos in the ears. Are the goats from MI registered with the ADGA and do they have tatoos? Are you registered with ADGA and do the goats you send here have tatoos for identification? If so, you use the tatoos for ID as long as the goat is registered (with papers). If not you use tags for ID or a microchip.

I'll keep tag placement in mind when and if I ever get to show goats! That is sad about the forfeit. Thanks for clarifying that. Actually I guess I do have to put tags in them if the kids show them at the fair for 4H this year. (unless ADGA reg. is super speedy)

Do you have just Nubians or do you have other breeds as well?


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