Pack Goats

[Jake]

Ya ...But look them up at the breeders association. You'll get more there.Also Kinder goats .org has some interesting things too.

I will check that out.

The link to the Pack Goat Central Assoc list is:

http://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/index.php

This is a reincarnation of the original forum, where the old hands of goat packing swap info, check it out you'll like it even though they are mostly on the other side of the country from us. Folks with the good packs, harnesses etc are there too, check out Rex's, he has the best in my opinion but there are some very good other ones too.

 

[cwrabs]

thanks for the info....We're starting training our Boer/Nubian cross wether. Very interested in learning more about how everything is done.

 

[lungewhipqueen]

Happy to see a thread about pack goats here. I had six kids over the last month and one of them has really caught my eye as a potential packer! Packing is not something I have ANY experience with or prior knowledge of but I've been reading everything I can find on the subject. I really think this buckling has potential and I want to learn as much as I can before he gets too old for training. I don't want him to miss the boat!

His momma is my Nubian/Alpine dairy doe (who takes strongly after the Alpine) and daddy is a Boer/Savanna buck. This buckling is 16 days old today and is outgrowing the 50/50 Boer/Savanna kids that are about 2 weeks older than him. He's long bodied and sturdy, extremely curious and he regularly comes looking to be handled. It doesn't hurt that he's pretty too! Savannas are still relatively rare in the US so I never see the breed mentioned in literature... even regarding meat goats. But they are extremely hardy, low maintenance goats. I think they could offer a lot to pack goat breeding.

While I'm trying to learn about pack goat training, I spend my time with this buckling just petting and touching and seeing what he'll tolerate. So far... there's nothing he shies from. I can touch him absolutely anywhere, pick up his feet and hold his legs, pick him up off the ground, etc. He still comes looking for more every time I'm in the goat pen. I'll put a collar on him before too long. It's about time to start separating him from momma through the night so I can start milking her, so that will give me more opportunities to handle him. Leading and tying with the collar will come in short order. He's already disbudded and will be wethered in a few weeks.

Is there much demand for trained pack goats or young up and comers? I don't plan to raise goats for that intent, but when I come across kids with personalities like this guy, is it worth my while to give them the extra time and attention and try to sell them as future packers? Or would I do just as well to sell them as pets or for meat?

 

[kinder]

It's great to see others that are interested in Pack Goats.. We are all just getting started. But that's a good thing. We could use this sight to teach and learn from each other. Babies are a good start, But not always necessary. My friend Jake says the young shouldn't carry any thing much until they are , 3yr.o. Unless you are keeping them Lungewhip. Chances are the new owner will do most of the work. But the handling of them at a young age is a good start. As far as , pets / meat / pack goat, that's between your self and the buyer. I sure hope this helped some.!?

 

[lungewhipqueen]

I guess my question of whether it'd be worth my while pertains more to price. Do pack goats command a higher price than a meat goat where you're selling by the pound... or a pet, which is only worth what someone is willing to pay? I mean... let's say I sell him for meat at $200... but someone wanting a pet probably isn't going to spend that... they're looking for a price of somewhere between $50-$100. All things being equal... if this goat was trained to pack and was reliable, what sort of price could I reasonably expect someone to pay for him?

 

[kinder]

To be honest lungewhip I realy don't know. I do know that breeding quality,registerd goats in some states go for 200./250./300. And a weathered/companion/pet goat any where's form 50./75/100. IMO. a 3yr.o. reliable,healthy, well trained Pack Goat. should be worth at least.!?? 300/350. Now that's kinder prices. And though Vermonts goat prices are higher. That's what I'm going with. My advice would be to find out what the going rates are.Alot will depend on the breed,going rates and you need to be sure that you'll have a market for pack goats, Look at it this way,,I paid 800. for my last german shepherd. I would look into pack goat territory and see whats up there. People will pay for what they want.

 

[lungewhipqueen]

Well... I've about decided that if someone wants him, they'll have to make it worth my while. His two half sisters are priced at $225 because of their breeding. He's at least half that with the breeding, but he's growing bigger, faster. So even as a meat goat he's worth something. I wouldn't expect MORE for him as "pack goat potential".

 

[kinder]

Oh absolutely ! Do you have a group of farmers, who do meat swapping ? I would like too start up something like that around here. What I'm doing is recruiting in the interest of the Pack Goats.. The local comity of recreations Dept. and a local collage. and even a land owner. ( I live in a small City.) If I can get them interested , the rest is all down hill. Then people can train there goats, keep and rent or sell them as a specialty animal.

 

[kinder]

It just has to start some wheres !!

 

[lungewhipqueen]

If anyone is swapping meat around here, I haven't heard about it. But that's an interesting idea. I do have a few folks I trade services with though. My sister has dairy goats and she and I help each other out with things like disbudding, castrating, tattooing, kid watch, etc. Another neighbor has livestock and she and I help each other out... fixing fence, rounding up cattle, trading chickens, milk/egss, vegetables... that sort of thing. And I have a friend in town who produces much of her own food in her back yard via her garden, laying hens and rabbits. I raise heritage breed chickens for her to butcher and she pays for their feed as well as the feed for my parent stock! Works out well for all of us.