Meat Goat Blog

Update on 3 Year Old Anatolian

    Just an update from our previous blog, the 3 year old Anatolian is adjusting to the change in environment well and goes with the goats for about half the day. He seems to have excellent instincts in keeping predators away, even going as far as to bark at the unfamiliar LGD's in the neighboring pasture. Only time will tell if he will become a full fledged goat dog or not, but for now we are very hopeful.

Demand Prompts LGD Experiment

    As goat ranchers, we swear by the use of LGD’s (Livestock Guardian Dogs) to protect your herd from predators.  But how do you get the dog for the job? Lately we have seen demand for experienced LGD’s go up tremendously without an increase in supply.  Some people who have called looking for grown, working, and proven guardian dogs have gone so far as to request some that we did not wish to sell just to have a way to keep their animals safe.

    For this reason, we have started an expieriment with an inexperienced 3 year old Anatolian male, putting him in the pasture and seeing if the other dogs show him to work. We will be interested to see if he starts performing or just acts like a giant puppy the whole time.

 

Mountain Lion Attacks Goat; Saved By Woman

A news report indicates a mountain lion attacked a pygmy goat, but was scared off by a woman that heard the commotion. http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14455621 

In our opinion, she needs some LDG's. Dogs are far better suited to fight off big cats than people. Glad the story ended well, but sounds like this woman was fortunate.

Llamas Can Protect Goats From Predators

We have friends who successfully use llamas to protect their goats from Oklahoma predators. Some people prefer llamas for protection. Although we have never used them, they are probably less expensive to keep since they can eat grass. Here is a website that contrasts the use of LGDs, donkeys, and llamas. http://hubpages.com/hub/Livestock-Guardian-Animals

Can a Lazy Donkey Really Guard a Herd of Goats

Donkeys as predator protection.  For real?  Aren't  donkeys those lazy, stubborn versions of an ugly horse?  Some people claim they guard their goats;  we haven't tried them so can't say for sure. We found a website that likes the idea. One of the advantages is the donkey can eat with the goats and a separate food source ins't needed. We prefer LGDs, but we have big cats around and our goats tend to split up into separate herds during the day. If you want to know more, take a look at:  http://hubpages.com/hub/Livestock-Guardian-Animals

Goat Predators in Oklahoma

Goats have natural predators in Oklahoma that range from coyotes to mountain lions to packs of dogs. Horned goats can defend themselves against one coyote or dog to a certain extent, but have little chance against a pack of them. Cougars or mountain lions are impossible for any goat to deal with.

Livestock guardian dogs are one option to protect your goats. There are several breeds to available and mixed breeds do well. The best guardian dogs, "LGD's" are usually neutered. The mating season doesn't interfere with their work. However, there are intact LGDs that do an excellent job.

The dogs tend to develop primarily from a genetic tendency to guard livestock coupled with actual training from birth by working animals. Mother dogs can be seen with pups in the middle of the goat herd and often start training the pups at 8 - 12 weeks by taking them one at a time with the goats. Training by humans is almost impossible. The dogs either have the natural disposition or they don't. Training, to the extent it can be accomplished, comes from experienced dogs that communicate what should and should not be done.

A good LGD will sacrifice sleep, food, and the easy life in exchange for their own herd of goats to watch over. The good LGD's are worth every penny and are indispensable in larger ranches where it is difficult to monitor what may come over or under the fence. A protective LGD will fight off big cats, wolves, wild dogs, and coyotes, day or night. They work tirelessly 24/7 in scorching heat and bitter cold.

LGDs generally do not herd the goats. In fact, herding is a rarely seen trait. Some LGDs will occasionally try to lead or suggest a course of direction, but will yield to the herd leader and follow the goats wherever they roam. The dog's priority is protection, not herding.

These dogs bond with the goats and prefer living with them to people. We have seen one Anatolian female with pups also raise an orphan kid by nursing it with her pups. She raised the kid whose mother died a few days following its birth. We have a male Anatolian/Pyrenees cross  that we had to teach not to carry around the kids. He was taking such good care of them that he wasn't letting them nurse. It was hilarious to see the does screeching and bellering for their babies as he carried them all over the pasture.

Finally with some gentle conversation and carefully taking them out of his mouth, he started leaving them alone. But let some negligent mother, like some we used to have, wander away from her kids and he will have them under his watchful care.

If you are going to raise goats, you need to give some careful attention to predators or they will eat up your profits!