[fiestyredhead331]

we asked the vet to do a home visit on his rounds today to check out 3 of the girls who had kidded this year.
So we sauntered down the field and I shouted Missy, Maisy and Daisy and they each came toddling up to see what I wanted. The vet was shocked or should I say surprised?....he couldn't believe they all knew their names and responded, so while he was busy checking them over the rest got nosy and they all came up to see who he was and did he have food?...

[Lesley Silvester]

Wonder why he was surprised if he was experienced with goats. We all know they are intelligent.

[fiestyredhead331]

in a word, he's not, there is a feral herd near them but not much direct contact, every time I ask a question I get I'll go look it up and get back to you 

[Buttermilk]

At least he admits that he needs to look things up and is not one of those that has to appear to know everything.

[fiestyredhead331]

thats very true buttermilk, he did say when we first registered the goats with them that he would have to get his books out and dust them off 

[jinglejoys]

  They all look it up on the computer nowadays....we can all do that,differance is we don't charge for it and add VAT

[Melmarsh]

I must be lucky then, I've had two vet surgeries look after my goats in 28yrs. The first, when I had 100 plus goats would discuss unlicensed treatments when there was a problem and a lot of the time, treat free !!! Yes I said free and we would follow up with milk samples etc to check withdrawal times, out of interest of course as they wouldn't be acted upon.The most recent vets are very knowledgeable and a joy to discuss things with. I do know that lots of goat owners have a problem but I do think that things are improveing albeit slowly in some places.
I had a goat called Anna and if I called her name when she was with the others in a covered yard, she would answer me, if I called a second time she would get up and come over to me. Very intelligent creatures !!!! 

[fiestyredhead331]

My Daisy does that! If I call her she bleats at me and if I call her again she comes to see what I want/have   
and if I sit down she comes and sits next to me and chases anyone who comes near me 

[Lesley Silvester]

Pom comes when I call her as well.

[Treud na Mara]

Aren't goats just the best?

[fiestyredhead331]

I just got my first goat skin back from the tanners, very emotional 

but not all that impressed with the skinning, there's a couple of holes and the edges are a bit thin and messy but seeing as its the same place that does all our slaughter I don't know how much goat skinning experience they have, they do a lot of sheep/lamb and didn't think it would be that different?

[ballingall]

I would have thought that some goats would have a thinner/ finer skin than sheep. But I've never had a skin back, so don't really know.


Beth

[NormandyMary]

Wherever my boys may be, it could be round the back, in the barn or in the top field, all I have to do is stand at the front door and shout "Boys" and they come running. At night too, when Im putting them to bed, I sometimes decide to do the chooks first, so I just say to the boys "chickens first tonight" and they run straight over to the chook house to say goodnight to them. I have to say, that if the boys go to bed first, the chooks come over to the goat house and say goodnight to them too. My husband never believed me when I told him, until he witnessed it with his own eyes!

[Lesley Silvester]

Haven't seen you on here for ages, Mary. Welcome back.

[little blue]

I know people think I'm mad but ....  ( )

not only do all our goats know their own names, when Cleo is out & I say "let's go and feed Jarvis" - she goes to the chickens, and if I say "let's go and feed Elvis" she knows that's the pigs (or rather, the boar!)

If I leave her nibbling something, and tell her I'm with "Jarvis" "Elvis" or "Dad" .... she always comes directly to find me - no searching!!
She also knows "house" "tea time" and "come on"  ... but sadly, refuses to acknowledge "NO!!"