Goats Galore

You can’t have too many goats!!

I really love my goats! They are curious, affectionate animals and yes, they even know their names. I have been raising them since 1988 and it’s never gotten old or become a chore.  It has been Goats Galore ever since, they are a joy to raise.

When we first moved to the farm in 1987, I wanted a horse and sheep. I had no intention of raising goats but oh how things change! After getting the horse ( a surprise gift) I decided to get two baby lambs. I got them in the spring of 1988, one black and one white. They were 3 days old and needed to be bottle fed. The formula was very expensive and a friend suggested getting a milking goat. I heard about how goats ate everything and knock you down etc… I made a decision to give it a whirl.

Her name was Spring. She was a large alpine goat with the personality of a protective dog. I fell in love with her and my love of goats began! I didn’t have proper fencing at the time and she just stayed in the yard. If I went in the house she would come up on the porch and knock on the door for me to come out. She stayed with me at all times when I was outside.  My parents had to leave their dog in the car when they came to visit because Spring would not allow him to be in our yard.

I learned how to milk, trim hooves, give injections, assist in a birth, make soap and cheese, etc… What a wonderful addition to my life, these goats. I ended up purchasing 2 more when the former owners of Spring had to unexpectedly move. I now had 3 different breeds, Alpine, Toggenberg and Nubian. I started to breed them and my herd grew to 22. I then had to start cutting back because my goat obsession was getting out of control.

Today I have 9 goats, 5 of which are Nubian. I have found I like their milk the best, their gentle dispositions and the floppy ears are awesome. There is nothing cuter than a baby Nubian. I am going to raise them exclusively when my remaining other breeds are gone.

The things I originally heard about goats were simply not true. They do not eat everything. They are actually very picky eaters. They won’t eat their hay if it is the least bit dirty. They might pull your clothes off the clothesline but they won’t eat them. They definitely do not eat tin cans. They come running when you call them just like dogs. They all have a unique personality. They always have a leader and like to be together in a group.  If there is a way out of the pasture, they will find it. If a gate is left unlatched, you can bank on it, they will escape! One day I came home to find an open gate and every single broccoli plant in my garden was missing! They love to climb and will climb as high as possible. They love rose bushes too! My neighbor borrowed about 10 of my goats one summer to do the trimming around the fence of an unused corral.

Goats are an absolutely wonderful animal to raise. They are useful for many things and make great pets. I enjoy them tremendously and would recommend if you have the space, get a goat. The more you have, the better. Goats Galore!!