Pack Llamas vs Pack Goats

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huntnnw:
It’s a real crap shoot on buying goats. We have a few really big goats and they just don’t have the “ go get em” attitude super friendly goats but just slow on trail . My best ones are super hyper and really motor around in the back country. My best goat carries a whole boned out muley like there’s nothing on him . They are great watch dogs and have spotted deer and elk when I did t see them. I watch my goats a lot and they will tell you if there’s something around long before you know. I know if my goats all stand at night when packed in something is near and usually a predator

vandeman17:

--- Quote from: huntnnw on September 24, 2025, 06:29:50 AM ---It’s a real crap shoot on buying goats. We have a few really big goats and they just don’t have the “ go get em” attitude super friendly goats but just slow on trail . My best ones are super hyper and really motor around in the back country. My best goat carries a whole boned out muley like there’s nothing on him . They are great watch dogs and have spotted deer and elk when I did t see them. I watch my goats a lot and they will tell you if there’s something around long before you know. I know if my goats all stand at night when packed in something is near and usually a predator

--- End quote ---

My three for sure are high energy and love following me anywhere and everywhere I go. I have already figured out who the leader is and have established a good bond with him. I can call him and he will almost always come running which means the other two are close behind because they go where he goes. They have been around my dogs, horses etc and aren't skittish so off to a good start in my book

actionshooter:

--- Quote from: vandeman17 on September 24, 2025, 08:29:00 AM ---
--- Quote from: huntnnw on September 24, 2025, 06:29:50 AM ---It’s a real crap shoot on buying goats. We have a few really big goats and they just don’t have the “ go get em” attitude super friendly goats but just slow on trail . My best ones are super hyper and really motor around in the back country. My best goat carries a whole boned out muley like there’s nothing on him . They are great watch dogs and have spotted deer and elk when I did t see them. I watch my goats a lot and they will tell you if there’s something around long before you know. I know if my goats all stand at night when packed in something is near and usually a predator

--- End quote ---

My three for sure are high energy and love following me anywhere and everywhere I go. I have already figured out who the leader is and have established a good bond with him. I can call him and he will almost always come running which means the other two are close behind because they go where he goes. They have been around my dogs, horses etc and aren't skittish so off to a good start in my book

--- End quote ---

The best goat I ever had was named Zeke, a medium sized Ober who I ran for 7 years... good goats are like loyal dogs, they aren't always the biggest or the ones that carry the most, the best goats are the ones who will follow you anywhere and always be right at your side.

Vek:
We bought two kids from a dairy guy about 9 months ago...an alpine and an oberhasli. The alpine has been a bit aloof from the start, but the ober is like a laborador. The ober can be led on a rope, and the alpine follows right behind. They both are massively curious and pretty much immune to noise: gunshots, loud diesels, tractors, etc. If you are fooling around with a vehicle or tractor or ATV, they're either on it or in it as soon as it's stationary.

We kept both of them intact for about 6 months, figuring they could use the hormones to grow, until we could no longer stand their impolite behavior, constant whizzing on selves and everything else, and rank odor. After the snip, as their manliness filtered out of their blood, their behavior slowly corrected over a couple weeks back to the aloof-but-ever-present Alpine and the sweetheart ober.

The Alpine is an absolute unit. Built like an olympic decathlete...long and strong. Our 1.5ac penned area is fenced with normal height 42" or so woven wire, and I pulled a tight barbed wire at about 48" high, and the alpine goes right over it like a deer. The ober has a bit of a belly to him and is equally agile on smaller things, but can't do the high jump. We're working the fencing on the pen...right now I've ran a hot wire another 6" up from the top barbed but need to sort out grounding and a working fence charger from the half dozen old ones on the property. When the alpine escapes, he wanders up to the sliding glass door to say hello, and we stake him somewhere that we need blackberries or weeds eaten, and he's happy enough.

Need another couple years before they can come hunting. We're on 28ac with access to more so keeping them fed and entertained is easy enough. I'll use them to hike firewood back to the house next couple summers and they should be ready to go. We shall see. If I get the fencing sorted out better I'd like to pick up another couple of Alpines from that same dairy guy. For now the Alpine's escape antics has my wife a bit annoyed.

vandeman17:
Right on. We bought 3 Alpine wethers in August and they are 7-8 months old now, growing like crazy. They were bottle fed so they follow me everywhere I go and don't care about loud noises, our horses, our dogs or really anything besides what they can eat. It has been a learning experience so far and they have so far killed a couple landscaping trees which sucks but now I know. I am looking forward to getting them out into the hills around our house this spring. It is funny how much like puppies they are where they just want to be near me, against me, crawling over me... I didn't think they would be as friendly and personable as they are.

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