[downtownjr]

Question sent to me via e-mail...any pygmy goat folks out there that can chime in? Thanks...

I am going this coming up weekend to buy 2 female pygmys at an auction. The fence and shelter is already ready. I just need advice how what I need to go ahead and buy for when I bring them home. I have been told by a few people that they feed their goats sweet feed. Anything would be helpful as far as ideas just to get me going.
Thanks

 

[Fowllife]

[sub]Well, that depends on your setup, and what you want to accomplish. If you have a decent pasture area for them to browse the really dont need much feed unless they are about to kid, or milked heavy. They should be able to get all of their nutrition from the pasture. I would highly recomend a good quality loose mineral for them though. They will need some hay for roughage along with the browse. Contrary to popular belief though, most goats are very picky about what they eat. [/sub]

[sub]We don't have pygmys, but let me know if you have any other questions and I will try to help.[/sub]

 

[haybaler101]

They will eat and thrive on anything including tin cans. Will not eat from the bottom of a haystack, must start at the top, and a 22 rifle will not kill them if you shoot them between the eyes, it only dazes them for a minute. Biggest PIA animal I have ever seen, thats why there are none on our farm any more.

 

[Vol]

Well Jim...are you in the goat business?? You never posted what you had done. Hope you can keep the little devils confined. When one of my sons was real young he wanted a young pig goat...was told they make good company for horses. Had a weanling colt in a stall and put a pig goat with the colt. The little bass turd butted the colt in the head when the colt walked up to sniff him. Split his forehead wide open. The colt was only worth about 5 grand and the goat $20. I did a re-assessment at the time and it did not work out well for the goat.

Regards, Mike

 

[Tim/South]

My experience with goats is:

They wake up each morning and say. "How can I get out today?".

Goats in a small area will produce a foul odor.

Fainting goats make easy prey for the neighborhood dogs.

City folks will turn a goat out in a rural community once it is no longer a cute little kid.

Deer tracks in the neighbors garden will be blamed on the goats you gave away 6 months ago when you finally had enough of the cute little devils.

 

[Mike120]

In my youth, I had a pet goat that I used for training to become a bull fighter. One morning my father came out and found my goat with all four legs sticking through the roof of his new convertable. Needless to say, he was not pleased. A few days later we had cabrito for dinner. I never did learn to be a bull fighter.......