Super goat

Most of the time we have an ambiguous relationship with our goats. They are faster than a speeding human, more implacable than a locomotive, and able to leap tall fences in a single bound. Fortunately, as far as we know, they don’t fly.

They are however, super moms. They kid on their own, rarely needing help. Their babies, slide out of the uterus and immediately start breathing. We don’t need to rub them or encourage them or swing them around our heads to get them to take those first breaths. They are up on their feet, searching for nipples even faster than the lambs are and nurse well. The does also nurse their babies well.  We bought the only bottle kids we’ve ever had as bottle kids. The does don’t seem to get mastitis, perhaps because our goats usually have a single kid, rarely two, and never three or four.

The goats also seem to live forever, or perhaps it just feels that way when they’ve successfully leaped a fence as  we’re trying to corral them in the barn. When you have an animal with super powers, but the collaborative instincts of a wild animal, even a short life can feel too long at times.

Our goats are beautiful animals. Clean lines, striking faces, gorgeous colored hair. I wish I could get that marvelous brown in a nice crimpy sheep fleece. Unfortunately sheep and goats don’t interbreed. Actually, it’s fortunate.  We don’t need any more super animals in the flock.