daft draft goats..

[Anonymous]

So, I finally got back from my deployment..just now getting back online.

I’ve wanted a team of oxen for some time…can’t afford to feed/house the big buggers, and don’t have enough land to make them practical…

So I got the bright idea the other day to buy a goat to take some of the load off of me with fence row/underbrush maintenance…it honestly never occurred to me that people used goats as draft animals…found out
googling something….anyway….I’ve got a young billy (soon to be wether) purebred spotted boer…good looking little guy…who hasn’t been gentled much..I’m working him on a lead now, trying to get him over being flighty and wild..and he has pretty much got Git-Up! and Whoa..although he is still pretty wild..I’m just going to mess with handling him as I try to get him gentled…He’s as smart as any dog I’ve ever owned..if Only I could get him to retrieve ducks!

Anyway..I’ve wanted to mess with draft animals for some time and I have found an inexpensive and fun way to do it…how practical is it?
Not very…but it’s sure fun..and as they graze the winter wheat off of my
new garden addition this fall, they can kick up my soil a notch!

Oh..some of the other goat threads had a bunch of good links..but there
is a 4H pamphlet on harness goats..just google 4H and harness goat..

[Jean]

Can you get some pictures of the daft goats? I would like to see them as you and the goats advance in your training.

Jean

[OldKat]

zopi,

1) Welcome home 🙂

2) Thanks for your service

3) Have fun with your draft goat project, doesn’t sound impractical to me. Sounds, ahhh … interesting! 😀

All The Best,

[Anonymous]

Thanks! will try to get some pictures..my boy ate his entire supper from my hand tonight, right after a nice long walk…he is calming down quite a bit…brought him a new halter this afternoon…he isn’t too too fond of it…he’s going to be alot less fond of becoming a wether this weekend…I’m NOT having a whole billy…natch..I have a few feelers out on some other goats..possibly a couple of very well bred boer does..couple of years old..and proven breeders..and some maturity…something mine lacks..

anyway..we’ll see what becomes of this project…at first glance he’s a good puller, and likes it.. (YOU walk him the first mile) The return trip is always easier…dunno if he’ll settle down enough to be a good driver though..I imagine he will, he is awfully young…too young to work, but just right to start training..we’re having fun..picked up all four feet one at a time with the command “foot,” without getting kicked or him getting spooked…smart critter…

[thousandhills]

hey,

I have never used my goats for draft animals but this website has tons of supplies for goats including a small garden plow for your goat. https://www.caprinesupply.com/shop/?page=shop/browse&category_id=a57d4ca4629a5e7a28d759792

[sanhestar]

Hello,

welcome to the world of draft goats.

check out

http://www.harnessgoats.co.uk and

http://www.goattracksmagazine.com/harness.html – here’s a contact adress to get a manual about training goats to pull

[Anonymous]

Well….goat is doing better…HE doesn’t thing so, as I banded him this morning…I guess you could call it a wether forecast……

or was that a castrated goat with plaster on a foreleg…wether fore cast…

anyway, He has calmed down quite well and is leading with a bit more cooperation..I don’t know if he’ll have what it takes to work…we’ll see.

I looked through the draft tools at the Chippokes gas and steam engine show today..alot of little stuff that would adapt to goat use…but I doubt these guys will see anything more complicated than a small garden cart and maybe twitching some light firewood logs…as I said before..I’m just playing…

There is a guy up the road who often gives his spare kids away…may wind up with some fresh weanlings soon…

[Simple Living]

Here is another place with some goat related items from harness to milkers. I have never purchased anything from them so I will leave the link with a warning of buyer beware.

http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/home.php?cat=21

Gordon

[Aaron]

zopi, maybe you could skid some logs to that circle mill you found?
I think a goat could probably handle 2bf of pine:) Sounds like an interesting project for sure! Have any pictures of the goat?

[Author]

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