Why are goats so special and fun?
Have you ever wondered what makes goats so special or so much fun? We’d like to share our own personal experiences and perspective we’ve come to love with our goats here on the farm.
We have two breeds of goats, Nigerian Dwarf goats and Navajo Angora goats. Nigerians, or milking goats, produce goat milk for all you goat milk lovers out there! Their milk can also be used to make yogurt, cheese and soap! Soap made from goat’s milk is rich in saturated fats (which helps to increase lather and bubbles) and unsaturated fats (which provides moisturizing and nourishing properties) making it a great option for those looking for something more natural.
Navajo Angora goats, on the other hand, are not only beautiful to the eye but as FIBER goats, they’re also valuable to the touch. Angoras are bred for their fiber, long and wavy, known as Mohair, which is known as a luxury fiber (like cashmere and silk) and is often blended with alpaca to make a yarn that knitters and fiber artists LOVE to work with!
But let’s be real, goats can also be troublemakers, escape artists, and thieves. They like to chew on clothes, your hair, steal your grain bags, jump on you, and even occasionally headbutt you. They are also eager greeters, eaters, and eager to please and provide lots of fun and laughter here to visitors who come see them. The good news is GOATS DON’T HAVE TOP TEETH in the front of their mouths so you’re pretty safe if you want to feed and interact with them!
Early May through late October is BABY SEASON for us and the goats have been busy having babies here. From single births (more common with Angoras) to twin births (more common with Nigerians), these little ones will steal your heart and make you forget about everything but them for a moment. Pictured here is Louise, Nigerian, with her new twin girls born here recently and Helen, Angora, with her little boy Henry.
Speaking of Louise, every goat herd has a defined social hierarchy, or pecking order, and the number one female goat in that hierarchy is the herd queen. Goats establish their hierarchy through rearing and headbutting so it is a normal behavior when you see them challenging each other. Here at Majestic, Louise has proven herself time and time again to be the overall “Queen” of the goats with occasional challenges from Naomi who is one you might normally consider to be Queen as she is bigger, older and has horns, but here the Queen is Louise. Pictured here is a photo of Naomi cuddling up during one of our goat yoga classes. She is not always a cuddler but is an avid bag stealer and will rob you of your grain very quickly if she thinks she can outsmart you! Back to the Queen…the Queen’s kids will automatically assume rank directly below her and get access to the best food, best sleeping spot and the queen will defend them if other goats try to take their position, so some might say Louise’s new set of twin girls come packed with a lot of power!
Come and visit our goats and see firsthand, why they are so special and fun. We love what we do and we love our goats! #Longlivethequeens
