Goat owners form ID plan

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Goat owners are developing a national identification plan.

Until the end of February, goat owners will discuss different kinds of identification methods and a reporting system in a series of producer meetings already under way. A report must be presented to the federal government by Feb. 29.

“We are just starting to work on this,” said Sandy Larocque, general manager of the Canadian Goat Federation and chair of the national goat identification committee.

The federation hoped to have a system in place by January 2006, but the issue has become more urgent since bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered in North America.

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“Now because of BSE in Canada and Washington, I have a feeling that it’s going to be suggested that we speed this up,” Larocque said.

Many goat owners misunderstand the purpose of national identification, she added.

“A lot of breeders think that government is going to breathe down their necks, but that is not true,” she said from her farm at Sifton, Man.

The program will be similar to what is used in the cattle, sheep and bison industries.

The goat industry lagged behind other livestock groups because the federation is new and did not have a practical way to involve all goat producers. There are 7,700 registered goat owners in Canada, but the federation knows that people who keep a few goats don’t necessarily join an organization or register stock.

When a BSE case was announced in Alberta, international borders closed to all ruminants and meat products. Meat from goats younger than 12 months has been allowed into the U.S. since the fall. However, few federal facilities exist to handle the meat.

Goat breeder meetings to discuss a national ID will be held on the following dates. Locations are to be announced soon.