Goats

[Alice Abbott]

We seem to be about to be coerced into owning a goat.

We receive goat's milk from a neighbour in exchange for various jobs I do for them. Now he has identified one who is perfectly healthy, getting on a bit and not getting on with the rest of his little flock, biting and kicking them and so on. This morning he told me he was thinking of having her put down, said with that certain gleam that meant he knew I wouldn't let him get away with it.

I don't think we would mind owning a goat really, she is used to wearing a collar and being tethered so she would be fine in our orchard. We could make a dry pen without too much problem in one of our barns. The dog isn't worried by goats and usually totally ignores them. She could keep the grass down in the summer and I could use the goat manure on the garden.

So are there any serious downsides to goat ownership? Would she be lonely? I don't really fancy a flock just to keep her company!

[red]

I'd jumpa t it - if I had a neighbour to show me the ropes - I love goats milk and all the cheese etc, but I just dont know enough about them to take the plunge.


The thing I do hear again and again, is sooner or later it will get into your veg patch and reek havoc.

[spookymuffin]

wonderful if she's still milking. We have had goats (3-4 at a time ) for the past 10years all have been rescued, none have been milkers but they have been excellent at keeping down the nettles brambles and thistles not so good at lawnmowering the grass. As long as your fences are standard stock fencing that should do but she will probably eat the bark and lower branches of the apple trees. Some sort of shelter is essential as they don't have good coats and hate getting wet or cold. Your own goat milk...fantastic

[ElizabethBinary]

My fiancee has goats! They like to climb things so make sure they don't get near your car. Apparently they're favourite game it to climb up one side and slide down the other over and over until your car looks like a very used pinpong table. Get something out for it to stand on so it can be proud goat.

But erm, none are for milking. They're for eatin.. so all I can say is "Mmm goat"

[oldfella]

But erm, none are for milking. They're for eatin.. so all I can say is "Mmm goat"[/quote]

Oh dear another one who eats their friends. She seemed such a nice and kind young Lady, oh well another illusion shattered.




P.S What Doe's goat meat taste like.

[Sky]

Depending on age? ... lamb!
Just eaten a hearty stew from a male goat my hubby did have to kill ... the meat itself tasted strong but if you had to live on it, you would def castrate and the meat would taste yum!

[Alice Abbott]

She duly arrived, complete with leather collar, a length of chain and a "goat jacket". Apparently she is particularly touchy about bad weather, hence the jacket - which she apparently snacks on when nothing else is available. I haven't studied it too closely but it seems to be two layers of sacking stuffed with straw and all held on with baler twine. The sooner good weather comes the better so that I can get it off her and perhaps, once my sewing machine arrives, I'll make her something better.

We made her a nice warm pen at the back of one of our barns and begged two huge rolls of straw to keep her going in bedding. So far she has eaten a small rosemary bush, a large part of the parsley, a lavender bush and a chunk of bark off the cherry tree. So we've taken a few links out of her chain to restrict her to a grassy area. I think we'll have to make her an enclosure once the weather improves. Nobu (our part time cat) thinks she's lovely and spends most of his nights sitting on the edge of her pen watching her. I think he likes the idea of the straw bed.

We won't be eating her but the milk is great. The kids have named her Rapunzel. No prizes for guessing what they are reading at the moment!

[ElizabethBinary]

I'm not a great big fan of goat meat unless it's stewed in something spicy. But I'm not a fan of lamb either, really.

Some goats are friend. Some goats are food.

[Minnesota]

Hey, there is nothin' like mutten !

[Jorieke123]

Yesterday, 2 baby male goats were born :D My question: We do not want to slaughter the boys too young. We want them to have as many hapy month at our farm as possible, but offcourse we also want some nice meat. What do you guys advise? And I think it is the best thing to castrate them? For the flavour?

[Green Aura]

In my freezer I currently have 3kg of kid meat, in 500g bags - half from castrated goats and half not). Unfortunately I can't tell which is which as all the labels ran! Haven't been able to tell any difference between the two bags we've already eaten but I've been told the non-castrated is more goaty

And if anyone wants my currygoat, rice and peas recipe shout out.

[Jorieke123]

Ok thank you, do you know the age of your meat? (of the goats, that is ;) )
It seems castrating is far to expensive, my vet will only castrate them with an whole operation.
I have searched the internet for a 'normal' age to slaugther the male goats, and I think we will keep them on the farm for 5 to 7 months.

[Green Aura]

Sorry, no idea.

[little blue duck]

@ Alice Abbott,
firstly, well done for saving the goat from the great pasture in the sky!
do you know just how old she is?

goats really shouldnt be kept as an "only child" - is there no way of getting her a companion, or getting her in kid? single goats are lonely, and can cause havoc... escaping, making continual noise, battering their housing and fences.
especially females.

what breed is she?
and does she have long golden hair?!

[Mother]

Green Aura, would love to see you curried goat rice and peas recipe. Please