We LOVE doing goat yoga events. Meeting new people. Connecting with the community. Sharing the goats. Spreading joy and love through animals to the world is part of our farm’s mission. And goats and yoga seem to be a beautiful match.
We get asked a lot of questions so we thought we would post some of them on
Why goats?
If you are around goats enough you can see they LOVE to jump. Most of our goats LOVE to be around people. They have associated the experience with food and scratches. Some of the goats are more shy but they enjoy munching new grass. Mainly the goats LOVE to have new experiences. They get bored easily and a bored goat equals trouble.
What are the things dangling from some of the goats’ necks?
These are called wattles. It is reported that they are made up of skin, blood vessels, tissue, muscles, nerves and a central cartilage. Some goats can have none, some can have one, and some have two. We have a few goats with wattles (Horns and her daughters Opal and Monica). They have been associated with both sexes in other goats. The function of these things is unknown and is thought to be related to evolution.
What do they eat?
Goat are ruminants. This means they are herbivores that have a four-chambered stomach. Each of the four chambers has a different function. Goats are browsers and prefer brush and trees to grass but will munch on grass and hay. We have the goats on our farm to help manage our pastures and brush in addition to being part of our nightly entertainment! We also feed them a small amount of pelleted feed daily. The babies up until about 8-10 weeks drink primarily goat milk.
Do they bite?
Goats do not have top incisors making it difficult for them to bite. Because of the way ruminants eat, they don’t need a full set of incisors! This makes it difficult to bite in a traditional sense but if you put a finger in their mouth (like the babies trying to suck on your finger) occasionally you can get a bite from their molars.
Will they poop or pee on me?
We aren’t going to sugar coat it. This might happen. They are not potty trained and they are farm animals. But the poops are little pellets that can be brushed or swept off. Our staff and volunteers are prepared for clean ups and will help you clean up. Rarely, (although it has happened), a goat may pee on someone but our staff will assist you in any way we can.
Will they jump on me?
Possibly but not definitely. The goats LOVE to jump. In their pens they always have things to jump up on. They love to play king of the mountain where one or multiple goats tries to push other goats off. Some of our goats love to jump on people, others prefer not to. We don’t force a goat to jump but sometimes will help place them for people who want photos. If you prefer not to be jumped on, just let one of our staff or volunteers know and we will do our best to keep them off. You can also just watch them and try to avoid it. If you think being jumped on would be so much fun, we can certainly try to help makes your dreams come true!
What do you use your goats for?
Our goats are used primarily as our companions and for brush maintenance on the farm. Many goats are used as a “green” alternative to maintaining properties. A goat can be just as efficient as a machine in clearing brush it just takes a little more time. It’s one way we can help decrease our carbon footprint. Mainly our goats are our companions. It has been proven that being around animals increases the endorphins that make us feel happier and make us less anxious. Going outside and watching the goats play or feeding the babies is a form of natural antidepressant. We whole heartedly embrace this. Life can be hectic and chaotic and goats are one way we choose to decompress along with spending time with the other animals on our farm. We love to share the goats with others to help provide that same feeling and it is perfectly matched with yoga. We do not use our goats as milking goats or for meat purposes but are not opposed to farms that do.
Who takes care of your goats?
Our entire family participates in taking care of the goats. Maureen is a veterinarian so typically oversees their medical care but everyone helps make sure they are fed, have water, are entertained and safe. Our goats are vaccinated and monitored closely for other medical problems. They visit with the public so we are committed to making sure they are healthy and disease free. We have a livestock guardian dog who is on our property to try to help keep our animals safe.
How long are goats pregnant?
The gestation period for goats is right around 5 months. Goats can have multiple babies (we have heard of a goat having SEVEN babies but typically have 2-3 kids). Goats have 2 teats so typically can support 2-3 kids. Any more than that and we often have to intervene to make sure the kids can survive.
Why do they have rectangular pupils?
Goats have rectangular pupils because that allows for better peripheral vision to be able to spot predators. Many animals have rectangular pupils including deer, cattle, horses and sheep.
I hope this helps answer some of your questions about our goats!
To stay in the know subscribe above!