CAE negatively impacts US goat producer profits - Agri-View

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Syndrome-often referred to as CAE-causes low birth weights and inhibits growth in dairy and meat goat herds. Statistics indicate that resulting losses in dairy goat milk production can reach 30 percent. In short, says Larry VanRoekel, director of marketing for Land O'Lakes Animal Milk Products, "CAE compromises herd health and significantly impacts the producer's bottom line in a negative way."

CAE is a viral infection specific to goats that compromises mobility and adult quality of life. Transmission occurs most directly from doe to kid through infected colostrum and milk, accounting for 90 percent of CAE infections, though other bodily fluids can also be carriers.

No cure for the viral infection exists, so proactive prevention is the only way to battle and eliminate CAE in the U.S. goat herd. This can be achieved with help from management tools like kid-specific milk replacer and regular testing.

To better equip and educate goat producers about CAE prevention, Land O'Lakes Animal Milk Products and BioTracking LLC have joined forces in a campaign called We Care for Your Herd. Doe's Match kid milk replacer from Land O'Lakes Animal Milk Products is the best doe's milk equivalent for keeping kids healthy and growing, simultaneously helping to prevent transmission of the virus through infected doe's milk. BioTracking uses a reliable ELISA test to assess the presence of the virus. It is a convenient, effective way for goat producers to routinely monitor CAE in their herds, and it can be efficiently conducted with pregnancy testing, immediately prior to kidding season.

"The greatest challenge CAE inflicts on the goat industry is its ability to go undetected, when subclinical," says Jeremy Howard, sales manager for BioTracking LLC. Some 75 percent of North American goat herds are infected and as many as 90 percent of the goats in these herds don't display any symptoms. The infection is life-long, resulting in earlier culling or shorter lifespans, further underscoring the impact that the infection has on goat producer profits, he says.

Under the We Care for Your Herd program, participating goat producers can receive discounts toward purchases of kid milk replacer and testing to aid in the fight against CAE. Prevention and management using the best tools available, especially prior to and during kidding season, means CAE-caused production and profit losses can be reduced.