Learn About Pack Goats
Produced by Escape Goats
home page www.utahpackgoats.com
Introduction
Having pack goats can be a very rewarding experience. Goats are easy to care for and if raised right they are extremely affectionate. You don’t need fancy equipment or a large piece of land to keep your goat happy. A safe pen with clean food, shelter a few play toys and a buddy will make your goat a happy one.
Goats are a social animal and will look forward to time spent with their "humans". They enjoy going for walks and hikes with people and can go just about anywhere you can hike. So why not let them carry your things as you travel down the trail. Goats take to packing your belongings easily and make a great trail companion.
Before you run out and buy the first goat you see, you need to decide on a few things first. This makes it easier in the long run for both you and your new friends.
Want to Own Pack Goats?
Here are a few things that you want to consider before you purchase your goat.
Will your local zoning allow goats?
Do you have the time that will be needed to feed, water and care for them?
Do you have a safe (dog proof) fenced area with a shelter?
Will you have time to keep them is shape?
Do you have someone that could feed and care for them if your out of town?
Do you have a place to store hay and grain where the goats can’t get into it?
If you answered yes then it’s time for a few more decisions.
Are you going to have goats with horns or without?
What type of goats are you interested in?
Do you want to start with kids on bottles, weaned kids, started young packers or mature packers?
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Horns Breeds of Goats Age of Goats Purchasing a Goat
The Healthy Goat Normal Values of Goats Transporting Your New Goat
Training Your Goat How Much Can Your Goat Carry?
How Much Does Your Goat Weigh? Additional Training Water Training
Trail MannersPicket Training Stringing Goats in a Line
Goat Tack First Aid Emergencies Wound Care
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There is quite a debate on if pack goats should be left with their horns or disbudded. Disbudding is a process that a hot disbudding iron is applied to the horn bud on a very young goat to kill the horn tissue so horns can’t grow. It’s not a good idea to mix horned goats with disbudded goat unless you have a very large place with multiple shelters. Goats are always reaffirming their place in the herd and the goats with horns will bully the ones without horns.
The pros and cons of goat horns.
Pro
Goats with horns are more easily able to defend themselves.
Goat have a large blood supply in the lower portion of the horn that helps them cool off in hot climates.
Some people like the natural look of the goat with horns.
You don’t have to disbud young kids.
Cons
Goat can injure each other or you with their horns by accident.
If a horn get broken it can bleed quite a lot and this may become life threatening in some cases.
Goats can get caught up in fencing because they can push their head thru and not be able to pull it back because of the horns.
If you have small children or will be taking your goats out in the public like to a fair the goats shouldn’t have horns because of the risk of injury to others.
Some goat develop scurs where they were disbudded. A horn growth from tissue that was not burned out all the way in the disbudding process.
There are six common dairy breeds here in the US and several meat type breeds. Any type of goat can be trained to pack you just have to decide on what type of goat will fit your needs.
Alpine goats can come in any color, their ears are upright and they are an alert hearty animal in any climate. They enjoy working and adapt well to new environments. They are a medium to large breed.
LaMancha goats can come in any color. Their ears must be 2 inches or smaller to conform to their breed standard. They are a hearty sturdy breed of medium size that are very people orientated.
Nubian goats are a medium to large breed with long floppy ears and a roman nose. They can come in any color. Most Nubians prefer not to work and some are very vocal at feeding time or if you separate them from the herd.
Oberhasli goats are bay in color. Shades of red with black markings on head, top-line, underbelly and legs. Their ears are upright and Oberhasli’s are a medium sized goat that enjoys working and tolerates water easily.
Saanen goat are a large dairy breed with upright ears and they have strong bones. Saanens are white or light cream in color. These large white goats are kind and gentle but they do better in cooler climates.
Toggenburg goats are of medium size with upright ears. They come in shades of brown from light fawn to dark chocolate with white markings on face, ears, around tail and legs. A nice independent goat with good stamina that will work for you if treated kindly.
Meat Goats and meat crosses are sturdy goat of medium height with lots of muscling throughout. Their muscling seems to limit them in jumping ability and agility on certain types of terrain. Cross them with the dairy breeds for pack goats gives you a more sturdy frame and an animal that will be able to pack more weight when mature. Some of the Boer cross goats have a bit of a tendency to be more stubborn.
Cross Bred goat seem to be stronger and healthier then the full blooded goats. Some of the largest goats I have seen were cross breeds. Quite a few pack goat people use the cross breeds and are very happy with them. My personal preference is the Oberhasli/ Alpine /LaMancha crosses. This type of crossing gives me a sound, healthy and friendly goat that is a joy to work with and be around. People in cooler climates like to cross the larger Saanens into other breeds for a large outstanding pack animal.
Mini Breeds like the Pygmy and the Nigerian Dwarf can be used for packing but the amount of weight they can carry and the distance they can travel will be much reduced. Acquiring gear for these little goats can be a bit of a problem also. But if you just take little strolls and want the company of the goats or for them to just carry your lunch then they may work for you.
What age of goat are you looking for?
Goats have an average life span of 12-16 years depending on health and the care given throughout their life.
Bottle Babies can be bought right after they are born and raised on a bottle. These bottle raised kids think that you are their mom and are very friendly from day one. Bottle raising babies can be very time consuming, so look into what this entails thoroughly before you purchase kids this young.
Weaned Kids are young kids that no longer need the supply of milk and are doing fine on a diet of solid feed. The age of weaned kids available varies greatly. Most kids do better if given milk until about three months of age. If you purchase a goat younger then three months that was bottle raised you may want to bond with it by giving it supplemental bottled milk.
Started kids are goat that are around 6 to 12 months that have had some basic training. They should be personable and willing to try what you ask of them. They should be trained to tie and lead and should have some trail experience.
Mature Packers. These goats should know the rules of the trail and be easy to handle. There are some goats that don’t work for anyone but their owner so if you are looking at a mature goat you may want to go for a hike with the goat prior to purchasing to see if the goat will follow you and listen to you.
Don’t forget about looking at other goat that have no training in packing. If the goat is friendly and healthy they might like learning to pack. One of my favorite pack goats was purchased from a dairy. They couldn’t get her bred and she never did a days work till we purchased her at 3 years old.
Whatever age of goat you decide on it’s very important to bond them to you. Spend as much time with them as possible until they trust you. Sit with them, talk to them, figure out what treat they like best and most of all enjoy them. Treat them with kindness and they will be willing to follow you anywhere.
There are times when a goat just doesn’t work out. It’s best for both of you if you sell the one that doesn’t work out. It costs just as much to feed a bad goat as a good goat. A goat that doesn’t like to work can not be forced into working.
When looking for a pack goat it’s important to be able to spend a bit of time with the goat that you are interested in.
If you are looking at baby goats, then go into the pen and sit quietly. I bet that a couple of the little goats come over to see what your doing. If they were bottle raised then at this point they probably are climbing all over you. Watch how they react to you. Are they curious, friendly or do they go to the furthest fence and stare at you? Look for one that is friendly and appeals to you.
Try not to buy more goats then you have planned for. This is a mistake that beginners make. Learn how to work with one or two goats before you get into owing more. The more goats you have the more work it is and that means that you have less time to play with your goats. Sometimes it’s best to purchase only one goat at a time so you have time to bond them to you and not just have them bond to the other goats.
If buying weanlings look for ones with good growth and large bones that are happy to be around people.
When looking for yearlings and older goats spend some time with the goat and take it out for a walk. You should be able to lead the goat and tie it up safely without having the goat protest. Can you catch the goat? Is the goat willing to let you run your hands over his body?
Once you have a goat picked out you need to check out his general health and ask the breeder or owner some questions. You may even want blood tests done to check for certain goat diseases that can effect the goat later on in life.
What to look at when considering to buy your goat:
Is the goat curious and alert?
Is the goats hair clean and shinny with no sign of parasites?
Are the eyes bright with no signs of discharge?
Is the nose clean with no signs of discharge or sores?
Does the goat seem interested in food? All goats should be interested in food or treats even if they just ate.
Are the goats droppings firm and in a pelleted form?
Does the goat stand squarely on all four legs?
Does the goat have a hernia or other abnormalities in or around the sex organs?
Does the goat have any sores anywhere on the body. Run your hands all down the goats body to check for sores or knots under the skin and hair that can only be felt and not seen.
Some questions to ask the owner.
When was the goat last vaccinated and wormed?
Is there any history of urinary calculi in the goats related to the one you want to purchase?
Is the goat CAE free? If dam raised, was the mom CAE free? See the results yourself before buying.
Has the owner ever had goats with CL in their herd?
Has the owner ever had a goat, sheep or cow with Johne’s disease? If they have ever had one with this disease you need to look elsewhere for a goat. Never buy a goat off of a place that has had this disease on the property. It can live in the ground for over a year.
Is the owner willing to let you take the goat to a vet for a health check and or blood tests before buying?
Body temperature is 101-104.
Pulse 77-89 beats per minute.
Respiration rate 15-25 breaths per minute. Young goats 20-40 per minute.
Rumination average 1-1.5 times a minute.
Age at puberty 4-5 months. Some goats as early as 3 months.
Length of heat 12-48 hours.
Length between heat cycles 19-21 days.
Duration of pregnancy 146-154 days, with the average of 150 days.
So the goat you picked out is healthy and now your ready to take him or her home. Make sure that your new goat has clean fresh water and hay in the shelter. Don’t overfeed your goat treats or grain since they need to adjust to their new environment without the added strain of overeating. If possible get a couple of days feed from the prior owner so you can make the feed changes a little at a time. It’s best to keep your new goat locked in the shelter for the first night or two to let them adjust to you and the their new home.
Getting your goat home. Depending on the goats size there are lots of ways to get them home. If the goat is a bottle kid they can ride easily right in your car. Have someone hold them so they don’t jump up on you while you are driving. If they are a bit older then they still can ride in your car but secure them so they have to stay put. You can use pet cages if they fit into your car, this is the best way to transport them for safety. If they are too large to go into the car and you don’t have a truck or trailer then you might ask the previous owner to transport the goat for you. Goats ride nicely in the back of a pickup with a camper shell on or a van. We have transported many goat in the back of a hatchback car. They really liked to ride in the hatchback since you are right there with them. You will get strange looks while transporting goats in your car but this good practice for you. Wait for the looks people give you when you use the goat for packing. If you use a stock or horse trailer to transport your goat make sure that the openings in the trailer are not large enough for the goats to jump out while going down the road. If the openings are large, wire a piece of stock panel or plywood over the openings.
If purchasing your goat from out of state, health certificates and blood tests may be required.
Training your goat is easily done with short lessons. There are as many ways to train a goat as there are owners of goats. Some methods will work for you and some won’t. Adjust your training methods to fit you and your goats personality. Not all goats respond to the same training so be flexible and open to new ideas.
Here are a few steps that we take in introducing the goats to Basic Training.
Step One. You Need To Stay Here
You need a collar that is sturdy or a goat halter to train your goat to tie. If using a collar, make sure that it isn’t too loose. You don’t want your goat slipping the collar off while it’s learning to tie. If you are using a goat halter make sure that the crown strap (the strap that goes over the head behind the ears) doesn’t slip down the neck so far that the bridge of the nose is getting too much pressure when the goat is standing quietly.
Your Goat should learn to tie quietly. Start by tying up your goat for short periods of time while you stay close by and watch to make sure they don’t injure themselves. Goats tie better if the slack in the rope is not longer then 18 inches and it’s tied at about the height of the goats back. You need to stay close by so you can rescue the goat if it gets caught in the rope. They can get their legs caught over the rope, they can twist the rope around their necks and they can even fall if they fight being tied.. If this happens, calmly untangle them and retie them. After a few tying sessions they should accept this quietly.
For goats that really have a hard time learning to tie I just use a double-ended heavy snap and snap this to the goats collar and the other end to the post or fence. This doesn’t allow them much movement and it only takes a couple of times clipped up this way to learn to stand. I then tie them with a longer lead so they can practice standing without getting caught up in the longer rope.
In teaching goats to tie you are teaching them to give to pressure. Goats naturally move into pressure so learning to move away from pressure can take a bit of time and work.
Step two: Follow Me Please
Once your goat can tie you need to teach them to follow you. There are different ways to teach your goat to follow. You may need to try several different ways to see what works best for your goat.
The easiest way to see if your goat will follow you is by turning your back to your goat and give a tug on the lead as you say something simple like "come along" or "lets go". Use the same phrase each time so your goat can start to build it’s working "vocabulary". If the goat follows you as you walk off praise the goat, and do it again.
What to do if the goat doesn’t follow:
Gently give and take on the lead rope to encourage the goat to follow you. When the goat moves forward release the pressure and praise your goat. Keep repeating this until your goat gets the idea that you want him to follow you. If your goats feet get stuck, and they can’t seem to move, then lead the goat off in a 90 degree turn. This unbalances them and they will take a few steps to regain their balance. Praise them for moving.
Have a pocket full of treats that the goat likes and help them forward by showing them the treat as you ask them to "come along" and when they walk forward give them the treat. Walk off again a bit further, ask them to "come along", show the treat and when they get to you give it to them. Keep increasing the distance they must go before you offer the treat. They will soon be following you close behind looking for the next handout.
If you have a shy goat that just doesn’t have the courage to follow you, have another goat that is led by someone else in front of your goat so he can follow behind that goat and as you still hang onto your goats lead. This works good for older goats that can’t seem to learn to lead. Once they get the idea of leading you can have the "lead" goat follow your goat. This gives your goat more confidence in himself and the job you are asking him to do.
If the goat is being really stubborn, reach back and lift up the tail with one hand as you give and take on the collar to encourage forward movement. Usually just one tug on the tail and your goat will be scooting forward fast. This is good to use when teaching to load up into the truck also.
There are some goats that will just lie down when you start leading lessons. If this happens get the goat back up on his feet and try again. I have seen a goat throw it’s self down on the ground in a fit because it was asked to lead and it didn’t want to. If your goat keeps throwing a tantrum or lying down and nothing seems to work for you to get him to lead, you need to get yourself another goat. If you can’t get the basic training taught to your goat it will never be a good trail companion.
Once you get your goat to "come along" they may start to rush past you. This is another way to avoid leading. If this happens, then say "get back!" stop your feet, turn around and when the goat hit’s the end of rope, stand for a second then ask your goat to lead again in the new direction. Goats that learn to rush need to be corrected right away. This is a bad habit that can cause you problems on the trail, not to mention it’s irritating to have to pull your goat back all the time.
Goats can learn to lead in a couple of days or some take longer. Remember, every goat is different and has a different personality. Take your time with lead training and it will pay off later.
Step three: Stand
This command is another one that is best learned before you venture out on the trail. The "stand" or "wait" command comes in handy at home and you will use this command on the trail often. Start by leading your goat around, and as you stop say "stand" or "wait". If your goat doesn’t stop easily then lift up on the collar firmly to stop him. If you just tug on the rope the goat will just walk in circles. Pull Up. Repeat this command until your goat will stop once you say the verbal command and before you pull up on the collar. Goats do seem to like to forget this command so practice it often. This command is used while saddling up, unsaddling, when you need to stop along the trail or when you need to access the panniers on your goat. It’s not fun trying to get something out of your panniers and your goat just walks away. If your goat ever gets tangled up in something, this command might save your goat and your gear some damage.
Step four: Saddle Up
If your goat is large enough for a regular size pack saddle then by all means put one on. If your goat is still a bit small for a full sized pack saddle you can buy a small "soft pack" that is fine for light loads and training. Most full sized packs weigh between 4-7 pounds including the pad.
Let your goat see the saddle pad, they may even "taste" it. Put the pad on your goats back and gently set the saddle on. You will need to tighten the cinch strap (the strap that goes under the goats body, a couple of inches behind the front legs,) before you fasten up your breast collar (the strap that goes in front of the goats chest) and the rump strap (the strap that goes around his rump). Why you tighten the cinch first is so that if your goat tries to walk away or something happens the saddle will stay in place. Make sure that you can still fit two fingers between the goat and the cinch strap.
Once you have the saddle on practice all your first lessons with your goat again. Lead the goat around and praise your goat to let them know that they are doing fine. It’s a good idea to lead them and not just turn them loose at first. Some goats may try to get out from under their saddles at and you don’t want them getting spooked and taking off scared. Be calm and patient with your goat, work slowly and keep letting them know how wonderful they are.
I once had a sensitive yearling goat that took off with a soft pack on when it heard the weeds scratching along the sides of the bags. The more the goat ran the more sound the weeds made. When the goat got tired and stopped it was very upset, and after that goat didn’t trust the panniers anymore. After much work the goat was still untrusting so I ended up selling the poor goat to a lady that wasn’t going to pack. If I had taken the time to get the goat trained to the sounds of the brush while on a lead I probably would still have that goat.
Let your goat carry his saddle when you go for walks. After a nice walk most goats seem to like their saddles and enjoy the extra attention. They even seem to get jealous if they don’t have a saddle on and another goat does.
A caution on using soft packs. Never put too much weight in a soft pack because it puts too much pressure on the goats rib cage and spine. You are better off buying a quality soft pack that has cushioning on both sides of the goats spine. These are more money but you can use them to carry more weight and they are better for your goat.
Step five: Adding Weight
The amount of weight your goat is going to be able to carry is going to be decided by the age, condition and what your goat weighs. Another deciding factor will be your goats conformation.
Most packers give their mature goats that are in condition ¼ of the goats body weight. A really large, strong goat in excellent condition can carry up to 1/3 of it’s weight if the terrain isn’t too hard to negotiate.
Our young goats under a year old usually hike along without any pack on. If we need them to carry something we give them something light like coats or a blanket. We use a soft pack and never put more then 5 pounds in it. Young goats are still growing and putting too much weight on them may do damage to their growing bones not to mention make them dislike packing.
Once your goat fit’s a full size pack, sometime during the yearling year they get to hike with their saddle on and we start adding small amounts of weight to the panniers until they reach about 10 - 15% of their body weight. Remember to stay on the light side of adding weight if your goat is not in top condition.
For goats in good condition the following table may be helpful. There is no set answer for people that are looking for a firm answer on how much weight their goat can carry. Just use good sense, pack on the light side, and pay attention to your goat so you both will enjoy packing together.
Yearlings 10 - 15% 2 year olds 15 - 20%
body weight body weight
80 lbs. 8-12 lbs. 125 lbs. 19-25 lbs.
100 lbs. 10-15 lbs. 150 lbs. 22-30 lbs.
125 lbs. 12-19 lbs. 175 lbs. 26-35 lbs.
150 lbs. 15-22 lbs. 200 lbs. 30-40 lbs.
3 year olds 20 - 25% 4 yrs. & over 25%
body weight body weight
150 lbs. 30-37 lbs. 150 lbs. 37 lbs.
175 lbs. 35-43 lbs. 175 lbs. 43 lbs.
200 lbs. 40-50 lbs. 200 lbs. 50 lbs.
225 lbs. 45-56 lbs. 225 + lbs. 56 lbs.
This Chart gives an estimate of a Dairy Type Goats Weight
Inches/Pounds Inches/Pounds Inches/Pounds
10.25 4.2 21.25 35 32.25 101
11.25 5.5 22.25 39 33.25 110
12.25 6.5 23.25 43 34.25 120
13.25 8 24.25 51 35.25 130
14.25 10 25.25 57 36.25 140
15.25 12 26.25 63 37.25 150
16.25 15 27.25 69 38.25 160
17.25 19 28.25 75 39.25 170
18.25 23 29.25 81 40.25 180
19.25 27 30.25 87 41.25 190
20.25 31 31.25 93 42.25 200
Measure your goat by placing the tape around the goats girth, just behind the elbows and up over the goat back. The goat should be standing flat on all feet with it’s head in a normal position.
It’s a good idea to keep track of your goats weight. This way you will know if your goat is gaining or loosing weight. Most people see their goats every day and it’s hard to see the small changes in weight until it’s a large weight gain or loss. Try to weigh your goat every month and keep track of their weight by writing it down on something like your calendar or your goat record book if you have one.
Every day when you handle your goats, run your hands over the goats ribs and take notice of any change. The goats hair can hide the fact that your goat is getting too fat or too thin. The ribs should have some flesh over them but not so much that you have to press hard to feel the ribs. On the other hand you don’t want to be able to easily feel each rib individually. By checking your goats weight frequently, you can adjust your feeding before you have a problem.
Loading your goat up
You and your goat should practice loading up into your vehicle several times before you plan on going anywhere. If using a stock or horse trailer it’s easy to get your goat into these. They will be able to step right in. On the other hand if your using a pickup truck or a high trailer your goat needs to learn how to jump in on command.
Start by leading your goat to the truck or trailer and use your "come along" or "let’s go" as you ask them to try to jump in. You can also add a new word to your goats vocabulary "up".
Have the goat face the truck bed at all times that you are trying to get them in. You may have to place the front feet up on the tailgate to give them the idea to jump in. You may also have to hoist the rear end of the goat up into the truck a few times before they get the idea.
Have a little treat ready for them in the truck bed to encourage them and let them know that this is an OK place to be. Feeding the goats in the back of the truck is another way for them to get used to getting in and out. A note of caution on this… Goats will also go under trucks that are high off the ground and they like to taste the wiring so be careful and never leave your truck unattended with the goats about.
You can build a ramp for those goats that just aren’t able to jump in. Some meat goat crosses just can’t make the jump into a high pickup bed. You can also have a block for the goats to jump on first and then jump the rest of the way into the truck.
This can take one lesson or lots of lessons depending on your goat.
Teaching your goat to cross streams and rivers is easily done. Goats have a reputation of disliking water. If water training is done right the first time we have little problems later on with the goats and water. And, yes, goats can swim!
Your frame of mind is the most important factor when it comes to training goats to cross water. People have heard that goats have problems with water crossings and so they start to believe this also.
So here you are, standing at the edge of the river worried that the goat will have a problem or refuse to cross the river. Since goats are sensitive to peoples body language and they can pick up your tension right away about the water they too will start to worry about it. So you are really training your goat to distrust water from the start. This pattern of distrust is passed from one goat to the next and before you know it all your goats will not like to get their feet wet! If you had approached the river, and without hesitation walked right in, more then likely the goat will follow you in without too much trouble. If the stream or river is not too wide the goats will jump over or if there are rocks or boulders the goats will try to cross by jumping from boulder to boulder. This is ok.
We keep a lead on the first goat in line so when we get to the water we just keep on going. There are times when the lead goat needs a tug on the rope, but we never stop walking. The other goats follow along this way. Sometimes we get a goat further back in the line that doesn’t cross right away. We will just keep on walking away and the goat will finally cross because it doesn’t want to be left behind.
We have never had a goat flat out refuse to cross water by using this method. Now since we have written this, we probably will come across a stubborn young goat that won’t cross the rivers. By starting out the right way with the first goat, all other young goats joining our pack string don’t have a problem with water because they have not been trained to be leery of it. Retraining a goat can be hard so start them out right.
If you have to stop to scout out a safe place to cross the river be positive about it. Once you locate a good crossing area take a hold of your lead goat and the next goat in line and start out across without making a fuss. Let the other goats know your leaving by giving your command of "Come Along". Hopefully all the other goats come across, and if not, keep walking away so they will want cross to be part of the group again. If you do have a goat that is known to have problems with water this goat should be led across with your lead goat.
If your goat has been already been started and is leery of water then work with him and be patient. You may need many stream crossings before he will accept it and just follow you right in. Use your basic commands from lead training so your goat has something familiar to hear as you work with him on gaining his trust of water. Never give up with them, you may get a laugh out of it later on and have a great story to tell about your aqua-phobic goat that now insists on cooling off in the river on hot days with his saddle and panniers still on.
Your goat should be a nice companion on the trail and should not be obnoxious to you or other hikers.
Your goat should not push past you on narrow trails to get ahead. This is dangerous on certain terrain and it gets irritating to be knocked into by the panniers.
Your goat should not bite, push or run off your other goats.
Your goat should not drag you along to keep up with the goats in front if you need him to stay back in line with you.
Your goat should not get into the panniers for any reason.
So how can you teach them better manners?
Walking sticks are used as an extension of our arms, along with the squirt bottle that gives us a longer reach.
Walking sticks, my personal preference, can be used to keep goats behind you on the trail. Just swing the stick back and forth and when the goat tries to get ahead of you he gets a rap with the stick as we say, "get back". If the goat is trying to pass you on a narrow ledge use your stick to poke backwards at the goat. Goats will usually try to pass you on the inside or the higher side of the hill, so you get pushed to the edge or the downside where it can be very dangerous. Never poke or rap the goat hard. You can cause injury to your goat.
If the goat goes to bite or push another goat, then the goat gets a squirt of water in the face. This squirt of water is like a slap with a long reach.
Give the goat a squirt of water if they try to get into the panniers. Once the goat learns how to get into your panniers they will forever be on the lookout for the panniers to be unattended so they can sneak something out.
If you taught your goat to tie correctly, picket training shouldn‘t be too hard for your goat to learn. To picket train your goat you will need a rope at least ½ inch thick and at least 15 feet long. While practicing picket training you need to keep a careful watch on your goat since they can get tangled up in the rope and some goats can get the rope wrapped around their legs so tight that their circulation can get impaired. Be cautious and watchful while your goat is picketed.
The most popular way to secure your goat is to use a overhead line picket or what some call a highline. Your rope is strung between a couple of trees at about 5-6 feet off the ground. The goats leads are attached to the strung rope with a distance great enough that the goats can’t get tangled up in each others lead ropes or debark the trees on the ends. Using this method you can easily tie a tarp onto your highline and stake the other end down to the ground to create a temporary sun or rain shelter for the goats.
A ground line can be used if there are no trees nearby. You need to stake your rope out and pull the line tight. Tie the goats leads to the staked rope the same as if they were on a highline rope. This works good if you can find stakes long enough and strong enough to secure the ground line. If you know that you are going to be using this method then you should look into the spiral stakes used to secure dog chains.
Another way to picket your goat is to drive a stake into the ground and secure your rope to this. Attach the other end of your rope to the goat collar. This gives your goat a bit of room to walk and browse for food. You will need to move your goat often to prevent him from overgrazing his circle. If you have more then one or two goats this method takes quite a bit of space and goats are more prone to getting tangled up in the rope using this method.
You should practice all the types of picketing at home before you expect to need to use it. Some goats are going to learn quickly and some may take more time. Some goats will prefer one method over another. It’s better to find out now how your goat will react to each type of restraint before you hit the trails.
There are going to be times when you want your goat to stay close together as a group, or where by law you must keep livestock under restraint in some areas. Stringing your goats together may be your only option so this is an important thing to teach your goat. If you are starting out with all young goats this can be a bit tricky.
The best way to teach your goats how to stay in line when strung up together is to figure out which goat prefers to be in what place. Take your goats out for a long hike and once they settle down and fall in line note which goat is in what place.
Take the first goat, your lead goat, and the goat that was second in line out for a walk. The first goat will be led by you with the second goat behind wearing a goat halter that will be attached to the lead goats collar. Practice all your commands that you taught both goats in the basic training section. Using a halter to teach the second goat makes it easier for your lead goat to control the second goat if he decides to be stubborn. If your second goat keeps trying to pass your lead goat use your water bottle to help teach him to stay back in his place. Once your goat has learned his place in line and will follow willingly the lead goat, you can attach the second goats lead to the back of the goats saddle in front of him. Now you need to teach the third goat to follow your second goat. Use the same method that you used for goat number two. Keep adding goats till all of them are in line.
When not to string
Do not string your goats together on rough terrain or if you know you will be crossing water where the goats will have to jump. It’s safer for the goats to be able to pick their own way over and thru obstacles without being pulled off balance by another goat jumping over, on or into something. One goat getting pulled off balance can wreck havoc in the whole line of goats. For safety you can use a small thin leather strap tied around the back of the pack saddles and have the lead ropes attached to this, so if a goat gets really tangled up, the thin strap will break and save the rest of the goats getting tangled or injured. Only use the thin leather strap on fully trained goats. You don’t want your goats in training learning that if they pull back hard they can get out of line once the strap breaks.
Sharing the trail with other people, dogs, bikes, ATV’s, and other pack stock.
Most people you come across will be interested in the goats. We take the time to talk to these people and answer any questions they have. The problem arises when people go to pet the goats. Most people have a natural tendency to touch the horns of the goats. This is big no-no, if people handle the goats horns then the goat thinks that’s it ok to use the horns for interaction with people. Another potential problem is that goats are very friendly and some may want to follow the wrong group of people. If you have a goat that is new or young, you should keep that goat on a lead if you see other people around. Most goats will stay with you with no problem but once in a while with young goats you may get the really friendly goat that will leave your group and follow another person.
Dogs are the biggest problem we encounter on the trail. Many people take their dogs out on hikes and just let the dogs run without any thought to others. When the dogs see the goats they get excited or defensive. They will try to chase the goats so keep your goats close to you as you holler for the owners to restrain the dogs. If the goats start to run then that kicks in the dogs instinct to chase. If there are dogs without their owners in sight use your voice loudly and scold the dog. This is enough for some dogs. The ones that don’t listen get a walking stick swung at them or you can use rocks or anything else handy. We carry a Dog Dazer (emits a high frequency sound wave) that works great to get the dogs to back off. We do carry a firearm and we won’t hesitate to use it to protect our goats from harmful animals.
Mountain bikers are a hazard on maintained trails that allow bikes. You usually can’t hear the bikes approach so they can startle you and your goats. Not to mention startling the person on the bike. Keep an eye out for the bikers and try to get off the trail before you have a run in with one.
ATV’s and motorized vehicles are easily avoided since you can hear them coming. Get off the trail or road and let them pass then continue on. Some people are friendly and will stop and turn off their motors to let you get past with your goats.
Other pack stock you encounter may be frightened by the sight of pack goats. If the terrain permits get off the trail on the lower side. When horses and other animals are spooked they tend to lunge up the hill so being on the downside allows the other animals a safe way to "escape" up the hill, if they do panic. Since the goats are easier to maneuver it’s best to give the right of way to the other pack stock you come across.
There are a couple of different styles of pack saddles that are available and different types of panniers.
The wooden pack saddle looks just like the horse style pack saddles. They are called a cross buck saddle. The angle that works best for the goats is around 86 degrees. Some saddle makers can custom make a saddle for you if your goats are narrower or wider then the normal. The strapping on the saddles should not be rough. Leather is nice but it has the drawback of needing to be oiled and the goats don’t seem to like the leather against their skin once the leather has gotten wet. A close woven webbing that is soft is the easiest strapping to use for your goats saddle. Even better is having the webbing covered in a soft vinal, the vinal is easy to clean and doesn‘t rub the goats or pick up seed heads as much as uncovered webbing. Using webbing cuts down on the care and maintenance that your saddle will need. Some webbing is padded with felt and it works nice if you make sure that all of the felt is clean and check it regularly for foreign objects and debris.
Adjustable saddles are offered by Northwest Pack Goats. These saddles fit most full sized goats and are easily adjusted to fit even those hard to fit goats. The saddle comes with a nice pad that "pockets" the side bars of the saddle so the pad never slips. This saddle is just about maintenance free but weighs about 6 lbs..
Another type of saddle is made out of aluminum and it’s lighter by a few pounds then the wooden or adjustable saddles.
A "Day Pack" is a soft pack that needs no saddle. These light packs are nice when you only have a few light things that you are taking along. We have put up to 15 pounds in them with no problem. It is not advisable to put much more then that in a soft pack since the weight can put too much strain on the spine of the goat back. We use a small saddle pad even on the day packs to help protect the goats back. There are some soft packs that have built in padding that helps protect the goats back when you want to carry more weight but don’t want to use the regular style pack saddles.
The Panniers
There are different types of panniers available. Most work good and it really comes down to personal preferences. I like a pannier that is easy to get into while hiking and is constructed to take the bumps, scrapes and weather without leaking or ripping. The buckles should be strong and easy to open with one hand. The webbing should be of good quality and the stitching should be tight and be able to hold up to many years of heavy use.
Traditional panniers have two loops that go over your cross buck. Some panniers have adjustable loops so you can raise or lower the pannier depending on the type of loads being carried. Outside pockets on the panniers come in handy for your water bottles or items that you will use regularly while hiking.
Panniers come in small sizes to large, and it’s nice to have some of each.
Another type of pannier is called a bucket pannier. The bucket pannier uses straps to secure a bucket to the pack saddle. Buckets are handy for gear that might be easily damaged or for messy loads that you wouldn’t like to have spill in your soft panniers. Using a longer saddle pad that covers the goats sides is nice to have if you will be using the bucket panniers often.
Any type of pannier or bag that you can secure safely to your goats saddle will work.
Your saddle pad
Some pack saddles come with a pad and some don’t. You can usually purchase a saddle pad from the supplier that you get your saddle from. Make sure that the saddle pad is thick enough to protect your goats from the pressure of the saddle. Press your finger into the pad and see if you can feel it poking your hand on the other side. If you can easily feel the finger then get a thicker pad or use an additional pad against the goat. You can make your own saddle pads or buy horse saddle pads and cut them down to fit your goats gear. A quality saddle pad is worth the extra money if it saves your goat from getting saddle sores. A goat with saddle sores will not be able to work for weeks until it heals completely.
Top Stuff Sacks
You can purchase or make a "top stuff sacks" to secure loads on top of your regular panniers across the goats back. You will need to keep in mind that you shouldn’t put more then 1/3 the total weight in your top sack. Keeping the load light on top helps keep the saddle from rolling from side to side. You can also roll your sleeping bag up in your tarp and strap it down to make a top sack or strap down a nice light camping chair. Be creative but make sure it’s safe and secure.
Manty
A manty is a waterproof cloth cover that covers your whole load and is secured down to keep your gear dry in wet weather while your hiking. The manty can also come in handy as an emergency blanket for a goat that has become wet and chilled.
Goat Collars
Your goat should have a sturdy collar that fits well. The collar can be made of leather or webbing and should be strong enough to secure the goat safely. We use the 1 inch double ply webbing dog collars on all the full sized goats. Stay away from the collars that have the plastic quick release buckles. These buckles can snap open easily and are prone to breaking at the wrong time. Have the collar adjusted so it can’t slip off the goats head if you have hornless goats. If the collar is too loose and you have horned goats, the other goats horns may become tangled in the collar and choke the collared goat.
Goat Halters
A goat halter gives you more control of your goat. Finding a halter that fit’s a goat without the strap sliding back along the goats neck is hard to find. The sheep style collars do not work well with goats. Butt Head Pack Goat Supply has some nice halters that fit well.
Lead Ropes
Your lead rope is important. Get a rope that is 5-7 feet long, sturdy and with quality hardware. Some dog leads work well or you can make your own. If using rope make sure that the rope is at least ½ inch thick so your goat doesn’t get rope burns if he becomes entangled in it.
Miscellaneous Gear
Other items that come in handy when you train and hike with your goats. A sharp knife that is carried on your belt, a sturdy hiking stick or hiking poles, a first aid kit for you and your goats and a long rope for picketing your goats if needed.
Your first aid kit should be made up of an assortment items that will help you and your goats in case of an emergency. Here are some items that should be included in your kit.
A quick reference guide to wound care and emergency treatment of goats should be on top of your kit.
For Wound Care: antibiotic cream, blood stop powder, iodine and alcohol swabs, 4x4 sterile pads, a kotex pad or baby diaper for large wounds, gauze roll, vet wrap, desitin, duct tape and scissors.
For Medication: Tums or Gas-X, Benedryl, baking soda and Epsom Salts, aspirin, powdered electrolytes or Gatorade, regular table salt, and Epinephrine in the form of a Primatene Mist inhaler.
Miscellaneous items: Thermometer, tape sutures, emergency space blanket, a disposable razor, 20cc. irrigation syringe, tweezers, 30 inch piece of square cloth, pair of examination gloves, safety pins and dental floss.
Bloat - The goat is swollen on the left side and is in discomfort. The goat may show signs of kicking at the stomach, slobbering, grinding of the teeth and be overly stressed or lethargic. Bloat is usually caused by overeating, unclean feed or a rapid change in diet.
To treat bloat give the goat about 4 Tums or Gas X. If the goat won’t eat the Tums drench the goat with ¼ cup baking soda mixed with a cup of water. Elevate the goats front end by having the goat stand with his front feet about a foot higher then the hind feet to help release the gas. Massage the goats left side to help break up the gas bubbles. Follow up by offering the goat Tums off and on the same day. If the bloat was severe then give the goat about a cup of yogurt that contains live bacteria.
Poisoning - The goat is vomiting, shaking, staggering, labored breathing or fast breathing, foaming at the mouth, crying out or going into convulsions. Poisoning is usually caused by plants eaten when other forage is not available. Most goats will not eat poisonous plants unless tied right next to them with no other feed available.
Treatment One - Add to two cups warm water: ¼ cup molasses, 2-3 tablespoons Epsom Salts and one teaspoon each of ground ginger, baking soda and salt.
Treatment Two - have the goat empty his stomach by placing a couple of tablespoons of salt on the back of the goats tongue. Get the goat to drink (or drench) the goat with at least a gallon of water. Give the goat Pepto Bismol to help cote the goats insides. You can also give the goat ¼ cup mineral or cooking oil. Goats will get diarrhea from the poisoning and treatment.
Shock - The goat has been injured or is very ill and is glassy eyed with a fast heart rate and is breathing hard with a dull look.
To treat a goat with shock, get the goat warm with the emergency blanket, sleeping bag or your extra clothes. Elevate the hind end and hind legs if the goat is lying down. Let the goat rest until it is able maintain it’s own body temperature and is able to walk. Keep the goat company and avoid any additional stress. If the goat is down for more then an hour, gently roll the goat to it’s other side and keep monitoring it. Try to keep the goat up on it’s sternum instead of letting it lay flat. Once the shock has worn off try to get the goat to a safe place to rest and recover.
For shallow or simple cuts and abrasions apply an antibiotic ointment and do not wrap.
For cuts that are bleeding, apply pressure with a gauze pad or clean cloth to stop the bleeding, clean the wound and apply antibiotic ointment, lightly wrap.
For deeper cuts, larger cuts or cuts that bleed excessively - Apply pressure with a kotex and keep the pressure on until you are sure that all bleeding has stopped. Gently remove the pressure, apply antibiotic ointment and wrap the wound firmly with another kotex or baby diaper, but not too tight. If the wound will not stay closed gently pinch the cut together making sure that no hair is in the cut line and apply the tape sutures before the ointment and wrap.
To wrap a wound -
Simple cuts - Cover the wound with ointment and a clean pad then wrap with vet wrap and secure the ends with duct tape if needed.
Deeper cuts - Cover the wound with ointment and a clean pad, add another pad or rolled cotton to help cushion and protect the wound, use rolled gauze to secure the pad then wrap with vet wrap. Secure vet wrap with the duct tape if needed.
If the wound is on a large part of the body, like the goats side, stomach or back, then tape the pad right to the goats hair and wrap the goat with a large piece of cloth, shirt or towel securing it with tape.
Wrapping strains or breaks
Make a soft type cast out of clean cloth, cotton batting or anything else that is soft. If the leg is broken tape a stick or other rigid object to the outside of the soft wrap and secure it with duct tape or vet wrap. When wrapping the goats leg, make sure that you wrap all the way to the hoof to prevent swelling below the cut and wrapped area. You should be able to insert your finger, very snuggly, into the bandaged leg. If the wrap is too tight then you will be cutting off the circulation to the leg. If it’s too loose then it won’t immobilize the leg and further damage will be done.
Heat Stress
Heat Stress can occur while you are working your goat or on very hot days when the goat is in direct sun with no shade available.
Goats with heat stress will pant heavily with rapid breathing, some goats will have their tongue hanging out. If the goat is working, it may try to seek out any shade and lay down.
If your goat has heat stress, move it to a shaded location as quickly as possible and offer the goat water. If the goat it carrying a pack remove this and help the goat get cooler by getting his back damp and applying a wet rag around the base of the horns. If the goat is hornless, wrap the wet rag loosely around the goats throat. Do not ask the goat to work until it’s cooled off and comfortable. You can offer the goat a bit of electrolytes or Gatorade in the water.
Sun Burn
Some goats are prone to getting a sunburned face or sun burns around the nose if they have pink skin. If your goat gets a sunburn or you want to prevent one, apply Desitin to the pink areas of the skin. It’s ok that the dirt sticks to it since it will provide even more protection to the goat.
Allergic Reactions
If your goat is having an allergic reaction to plant poisoning, insect stings or to a vaccination and is having trouble breathing, getting disorientated or losing consciousness spray 4-5 squirts of Primatene Mist under the goats tongue. (You can repeat this two more times if needed.) Every 14-15 squirts of Primatene Mist equals about 1cc of epinephrine. You will need to monitor the goat over the next day and if needed you can give the goat some Bendryl to help ease the reaction.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia can happen any time the goat gets chilled and wet and is unable to warm it’s self back up. A goat with hypothermia will shiver, be lethargic and they will usually stand with their back humped up. You will need to warm your goat up by drying it off if needed, wrapping it in the space blanket, your sleeping bag or any other item that is warm and keep the goat covered until his temperature is back up to at least 100 degrees. If the goat continues to shiver and it’s body temperature is still low, you can cuddle the goat against you with both of you wrapped up together. Your body heat will help the goat warm up faster.
Broken Horn
When a goat breaks a horn it is very painful for the goat. There is a nerve and a large blood vessel that runs thru the horn.
If the horn is only broken on the end with little or no bleeding, you can cut off the broken piece if it’s still attached, apply blood stop powder and wrap the end of the horn if needed.
If the horn has been broken lower and there is heavy bleeding, you will need to apply pressure to the horn stump until the bleeding stops. If you cant stop the bleeding by pressure to the stump, find the blood vessel below the inside corner of the goats eye (You may have to move your finger around a bit to feel for this blood vessel.) apply pressure for five minutes, then gently release the pressure and reapply pressure again if needed. Once the bleeding has stopped, apply blood stop powder to encourage better clotting and wrap.
Another way to deal with a broken horn is you can cauterize the broken end by using a disbudded or if camping, any metal item that can heated red hot and applied to the break in the horn.
Foot Puncture or Sore
A goat can puncture his foot on any sharp object. In case of a foot puncture, apply some iodine on a pad to the puncture and press down firmly to get the iodine into the hole. Leave the iodine pad on the foot and wrap the foot in vet wrap and duct tape to make a "bootie". You will need to soak the punctured foot in Epsom Salts once you get home or reach your camp site. Soak the foot twice a day for a couple of days until the hole heals over.
In case of a sore foot on your goat with no signs of puncture treat the goat just like it has a puncture. Some punctures are very hard to find. If the goat only has a sore foot, then the added protection of the "bootie" will help right away.
Cactus Thorns
Cactus thorns can lame a goat if left in. If you are hiking in areas with cactus you will need to run your hands slowly and gently down the goats legs once or twice a day to find these pesky thorns. Use your tweezers to extract the thorns. Some thorns require a very firm yank to remove and it hurts the goat so if the goat has lots then you may want to give the goat a break for a couple of minutes then have another go at removing some more.
Saddle Sores
Hopefully your goat will never get saddle sores. Saddle sores can be caused by unclean saddle blankets, ill fitting saddles or a dirty goat. The most common site for sores is behind the goats elbow or on the goats back.
Saddle sores can be seen as a red angry patch of skin or as raised area of skin where the saddle or strapping touches the goats hide. Some saddle sores can be seen as open sores. Saddle sores take a long time to heal up so it’s best to prevent them before they ever get started.
To treat saddle sores you will need to apply an ointment to a piece of soft cloth and place this over the sore before you saddle up the goat. You may need to use a thicker pad on the goat to prevent more sores until you can get the goat home. Once at home, you need to give your goat time off to heal up the sore spots. The hair may turn permanently white where the goat has gotten a saddle sores since the skin has been damaged or died in that area.
Remember to keep your goat and saddle pads clean, use good fitting equipment and always brush your goat before saddling up.
Scours or Diarrhea
Diarrhea can be caused by many things in a goat. Most healthy goat will not get diarrhea unless they have been sick or poisoned by something they have eaten.
To treat a goat for simple diarrhea (simple diarrhea has no other signs then the loose bowels.) Give the goat a dose of Pepto Bismol and or a cup of yogurt. Limit any new feed or browse and encourage the goat to drink plenty of water. Electrolytes can be added to the water or drenched down the goat if the goat is not drinking enough water on it’s own.
Scours or Diarrhea in young goats can also be a sign of coccidiosis, a parasite in goats that needs prompt treatment. Your vet can test the goats droppings for this type of parasite.
If you need more information on Pack Goats, give a call or Email and we will be happy to help you.
Escape Goats
Shawn & Shari Miller
PO Box 532
Escalante, Utah 84726
(435)826-4652
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