Saturday, August 28, 2010

Answers to Common Goat Questions

Someone asked that I give the answers to these common goat questions for those that do not have goats. And I am happily giving the answer as it will give me something to blog about & my siblings can stop face booking, e-mailing, calling, and leaving comments on my lack of blogging. (I'm having a hard time thinking of things to post about.)

Q: "Why do the goats not have ears?"
A: It's a breed of goat called LaMancha they are born without their ears.

Q: "Why do you milk the goat?"
A: So that we can have their milk to enjoy and to turn into many different products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, butter, & soap.

Q:"Why do you cut off their ears?"
A: Because they are a breed of goats that are born without their ears and if I tried to tell a judge that they were Lamanchas with ears I would get disqualified. just like dogs have different type of ears so do goats. (While I point to
Nubian and Alpines.)

Q:"Can you drink goat's milk just like you drink cow's milk?"
A: Yes you can. Handled properly goats milk should taste VERY close to cow's milk. More often then not people tell us it taste like sweetened half & half. And it can be used just like cow's milk.

Q:"Where are their horns?"
A: We remove their horns at a young age for a number of reasons.
1) I have to handle these goats at least twice a day if not more and it's not the best feeling in the world to have a goat horn you. (Yes, I do know how it feels.)
2) They can cause harm to my other goats with their horns.
3) It's a disqualification in the show ring to have a dairy goat have horns.

And the answer that I have given on occasion but love to give more often...

Q:"Why do you cut off their ears?"
A: Because they are SOOOO good! They make the best appetizers ever!
What amazes me are the number of people who believe me & start to walk off with out a comment or even a look over that answer!