Goats Who Stare at People

There is something funny about the human-goat connection; they look at you with such soulful eyes.  Or, as in the picture above, a young goat will shyly duck behind a branch or its mother, perhaps going by the maxim "if I can't see you, you can't see me!"

Recently we purchased three Boer goats, and it has been interesting.  It is also humbling, because after 40 years in horses I know a lot about equines: How to handle, train, and feed them, and how to treat minor medical problems.  In contrast, I realized I knew nothing about goats.  I did not even know until recently that they are the "caprine" class of animals.

Just getting the goats from their stall to the outdoor pen so they could clear brush for us was a challenge, because our goats had never worn collars or learned to walk on a lead. They are learning now, although me 'leading' the two nannies often looks more like me water-skiing behind two goats ash they charge towards sweet feed.

At any rate, like with most things on the farm, there is more involved than one might think at first.  We bought goats because we wanted hardy livestock, but after reading my goat book I was alerted to dozens of possible health problems.  Don't leave them on spring pasture too long, they might get so full of gas it will compress their lungs and they'll die!  They can hang a horn in almost any type of fencing!  A nanny with poor teat shape may not deliver enough milk to her babies and they'll waste away!

Thankfully, none of these things has happened and our goats appear to be flourishing.  The vet was just here to do spring shots for my horses, so (erring on the side of caution) I had her vaccinate and deworm the goats.  This cuts into any potential profit margin, but it does buy a certain amount of peace of mind.  When the goats stare at me I can stare back with a clear conscience because I don't have to wonder when they last had their shots.  Now in the evenings you can find me unwinding by reading my goat book, learning as we stumble down the path of another farm adventure.

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