# Shami goats from Saudi Arabia



## Naef hajaya (Nov 18, 2012)




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## Goatherd (Nov 18, 2012)

I can understand the body structure, but the head and mouth looks more like a birth defect rather than intentional good breeding.  The cropping of the ears also makes no sense to me other than another form of mutilation.


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## Stacykins (Nov 18, 2012)

Those goats are slightly horrifying, in my opinion. Do they have breathing problems?


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## pdpo222 (Nov 18, 2012)

http://www.goatworld.com/breeds/shami.shtml   here is some info on them.  They aren't suppose to look like those pics.  They really are a pretty goat, those pics are a horrible representation of the breed.


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## Alicia G (Nov 18, 2012)

Those are quite odd goats I must say. But perhaps that is what is thought to be wonderful. I have seen some types of animals that defects like these are sought after as it is.
http://www.chillhour.com/img/weird/bald_chicken/bald_chicken_3.jpg
These chickens are an example of breeding to look like different. Ugly to some, but nifty to others.


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## Goatherd (Nov 18, 2012)

> Additional Notes for the Breeder
> * The Shami breeder must be particularly attentive to physical faults in the head that affect the health profile and proper functioning of the animal. For example, a Roman nose so extreme that it restricts the nostrils and impairs proper breathing is actually a deformity. An overly protruding lower jaw that makes nursing or feeding difficult is a definite fault.


This, from the Goatworld article, pretty much sums up what has already been said.   No where in the article does it mention the loping off of the ears.  That is what I find most disturbing.


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## DonnaBelle (Nov 18, 2012)

I went to the Shami goat website.

The goats in the pictures sent to BYH look NOTHING like the goats on the Shami website.

The ears have been cut off or removed somehow.  And their faces are deformed.

Very sad and disturbing.

DonnaBelle


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Nov 18, 2012)

I believe they use them for fighting sometimes. I could be way wrong though. I think I saw that somewhere.


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## Pearce Pastures (Nov 18, 2012)

Didn't know that those pics would be anything out of the ordinary for that breed.  All of the ones I have ever seen look like that.  The first time I saw them, I thought that someone had to have done something to them to make them look like that, like binding them as they grew or something.  The ears thing seems to be kind of like how some people dock tails on and alter ears from what I have read.  They do look really strange as they are let alone with their ears cut.

A Damascus goat was labeled as the most beautiful goat not that long ago 

Here is the first place winner










http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/most-beautiful-goats-competition/offbeat-news


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## Southern by choice (Nov 18, 2012)

Horrid...just horrid!


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## SheepGirl (Nov 18, 2012)

They are ugly, but very productive goats: http://www.cyprusshamigoats.com/download/asreda-brochure.pdf


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Nov 18, 2012)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> They are ugly, but very productive goats: http://www.cyprusshamigoats.com/download/asreda-brochure.pdf


They are Med/Large goats but they still look so scary and crazy that I would want NOTHING to do with them. Even their bags are strange looking.

Overall, really weird goats, scary head, scary nose, frightening ears. I don't like 'em.


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## kstaven (Nov 18, 2012)

Sorry, but those pics make me shiver.


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## Pearce Pastures (Nov 18, 2012)

kstaven said:
			
		

> Sorry, but those pics make me shiver.


x2

Did you all see those udders in the brochure?!  Wow!  Those goats look much nicer than others of the breed.


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## bonbean01 (Nov 18, 2012)

To me they look like they ran into a brick wall and smuched their faces...


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## Harbisgirl (Nov 18, 2012)

That is the most hideous goat I have ever seen. Besides just being plain FUGLY, the ear cropping is just wrong. Why would they do that? It is sad and upsetting.


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## marlowmanor (Nov 19, 2012)

Pearce Pastures said:
			
		

> kstaven said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those udders in the brochure look painful! They are huge! The goats in the brochure look totally different than what is pictures here. The ones in the brochure are actually nice looking, the ones in the original post are flat out scary looking!


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## CocoNUT (Nov 19, 2012)

To each their own I guess. 

Those udders DO look a little uncomfortable though! 

I like the LOOOOONG ears in the brochures. (The brochure dealt with Cyrpriot Shami goats...probably different than the Saudi...different 'desireable' traits.) Definitely not used to seeing anything like that around here! 

I think of it like the la manchas...some people LOVE their ears...me personally, don't care for them.


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