[hairyhetty]

does anyone have experience with bagots goats? are they as wild as im lead to or can they be tamed?

[jameslindsay]

does anyone have experience with bagots goats? are they as wild as im lead to or can they be tamed?

I don't have experience with Bagot goats but I would imagine that if you get them young enough and spend lots of time and give lots of love and attention any animal could be tamed.

[hairyhetty]

its hard to find much info on them, i want to support rare breeds and interested in bagots. they have been hunted for 600 years, and all info i find says theyre flighty and nervous. am i going to chasing them around my neighbours farm?? wev had golden guernsey and lairy xbred b4. experience or advice very welcome!

[katie]

I had a little Bagot - she was my first goat! Yes, they do become tame if kept in small groups. She used to play football with me, using her horns to scoop the ball up. It took a fair while to make her sociable and she was never as tame as a domestic breed but mischievous with a definite spark in her eye. Lovely little goats.

[little blue]

our billy is a Bagot, (registered pedigree) was Very shy when he arrived (almost a year ago) and would skip away as soon as we went into the "compound".

our set up is quite different to where he came from, and he had been stabled with his twin brother so understandably he took some settling in anyway.

He mated with our girls fairly soon, and after a lot of time and patient sitting with hand outstretch, not looking at him... he will come over for a tickle on his nose & cheeks.

He can be abit stroppy, but is too shy to do any damage with his horns - he will shy off rather than be aggressive.
  he consented to having a very slow, gentle brush in the summer - but again, I cant get too close (or work too much on a tangle!)



His son Max was born at the end of July - he is soft as a brush! And Cesar is surprisingly good with him.  they dont exactly interact, but he is calm with him, and Max leaves his Dad alone if he's eating!

As he is small, he is (I think) alot easier to manage being a billy, and his kids should be reasonable easy to deliver.
And the smell is not quite so strong as, say, a huge AN

           

[hairyhetty]

thats great, restored my confidence as i was having doubts. bagots here we come! x

[jinglejoys]

Any animal is what its owner puts into it.I have take on ferel goats straight from the hills and they tame down well if

a)They are never put in a position where they have to panick for the first few months and
b)You remember that they are prey animals and you are the preditor so expect them to react as such,learn how to speak THEIR body language and don't expect them to learn your human language

  Let them relax and start comming to you,pretend to ignore them and be honoured when they put their trust in you.Also don't put them in a fenced area that would only keep a sheep in and complain when they escape,goats will be goats!

[langdon]

is that a real photo?
if so WOW its lush, you should send it into a competition
did you take it?
langdon

[jinglejoys]

Yes I took it yesterday

[Cinderhills]

Wow, it is an amazing photo.  It looks so magical.  I agree with Langdon, submit to a magazine or competition.

[jinglejoys]

Any suggestions?I've never thought about it

[Cinderhills]

Thinking about it not sure about magazines, but depending on the subject next year you could submit to the Countryfile calendar competition.  Imagine having that spectacular picture during the depressing month of January. 

[jinglejoys]

Trouble with Yuppyfile ,it's all about nature not much domestic livestock

[hairyhetty]

just wondering if thats a mule in foto?

[jinglejoys]

Yep thats my Malaga in full winter splender!

and this is Picasso now he's acclimatized this year