If you’ve never met goats, you’re missing out. These amusing creatures are similar to dogs in that they are fun, friendly and live around the same age. Although goat is the most widely eaten meat on earth (mostly in Africa) in England the latest rise in goat milk (kefir) often touted for its health benefits. But any food or drink made from animals that gets popular, usually leads to welfare issues. Abroad, baby goats are sometimes slaughtered in front of each other. These beautiful creatures are also prone to live export and ritual slaughter. Support your local goat sanctuary: two are Goats Galore (Herefordshire) and Buttercups (Kent).
Goats were one of the first domesticated animals, and they are very social and affectionate creatures. They have cloven hooves (so climb well, but it’s a myth they don’t fall near steep cliffs). Like sheep, their rectangular eyes means they can see most predators from behind. Even when they bend down to graze grass, they can still see the horizon.
Goats are the cable talk show panelists of the animal world. Ready at a moment’s notice to interject, interrupt and opine. Jon Katz
Wear a Goat-Friendly Scarf!
If you or someone you know does buy wool, look for companies that guarantee no mulesing (cutting chunks of skin off without painkillers, to avoid flystrike). Other wool comes from rabbits (angora). Shahtoosh is now banned, from an endangered antelope. Many designer scarves are made from pashmina (cashmere), which comes from the fleece of a Tibetan goat, often killed at the end of its useful life.
Aura Que Vegan Banana Yarn Cowl Scarf is a flattering scarf with a draped neckline, delivering warmth, without bulk or dangling ends. Made by artisans, this sustainable fibre comes from the waste foliage of the banana plant, grown in the Terai flat farming area of South Nepal. The plant is cut back after the fruit harvest, so provides extra income for farmers too. The scarves use azo-free dyes, an ideal alternative for vegans and those with wool allergies. Machine-wash on cool, do not tumble dry and separate dark colours.
Ending Live Export of Goats (and sheep)
Goats are one of many animals exported live on ships (often on journeys that last days in the heat – many suffocate or get trampled). This can occur to Europe or from Australia to the Middle East. When they arrive, they are often killed in countries, with poor welfare laws. See how to end live exports forever.
We want to respect religious beliefs, but Compassion in World Farming believes there should be no exemptions, as animals are not stunned in line with scientific welfare advice. There are plenty of plant-based recipe books for religious beliefs including Vegan Recipes from the Middle East and Oy Vey Vegan!. Most supermarkets don’t clearly label non-stunned meat. All barnyard friends have legal rights. If you see a farm animal in distress, you can report it to RSPCA, Animal Crimewatch or Crimestoppers (anonymous, if wished).
If You Care for Goats..
Rescued friendly goats at Farm Sanctuary wag their tails in the hope of receiving a scratch, or a leafy snack.
- Goats can live with sheep but must have different foods (there are strict amounts on copper safety for both species, far less for sheep). Goats also tend to head-butt for fun, which sensitive sheep don’t like. Grazing only on grass can cause parasites, and some plants (alfalfa, clover) can cause bloat (goats burp a lot). Find more info at Farm Sanctuary & Open Sanctuary.
- Painful foot rot is common in goats and sheep. This can often be prevented with clean transport, foot-trimming and quarantining to new flocks for 30 days. Purdue University has good info and Homeopathy at Wellie Level offers courses for farmers. Sheepeasy (a hammock) makes goat/sheep footcare more comfy.
- Dry stone walls can help keep goats safe: Conservation Volunteers can build these for you or download Dry Stone Walling to build/repair walls yourself. Check that dry stone walls don’t grow the weed ragwort. Although home to a native caterpillar, it’s lethal to livestock and equines, and must be removed and disposed of, to DEFRA laws. World Horse Welfare has tips on prevention and dealing with it. You can remove ragwort in 4 easy steps with a ragfork .
- See wildlife-friendly fencing alternatives. Although electric fences have low currents, one child died in 1991 after the child’s head touched the wire, after playing on wet grass. Don’t let pets (or sheep dogs) play nearby (heads are at the same height) or when it’s raining.
Don’t ‘Gift a Goat’ to Developing Countries
Although it sounds a good idea, experts are very concerned at big charities asking people to ‘gift animals’ (like goats or cows) to people in developing countries. Often this is touted as enabling the families to be able to look after themselves. In fact, most of the time this is very poorly thought out. Most people who can’t eat sufficiently are in areas with little water and drought (meaning no crops grow either). So having a goat or cow means another mouth to feed, and lots more water to find.
Wildlife expert Jane Goodall (a scientist) says that this not only makes things worse, but such areas rarely have vets, if the animals become ill. She recommends funding community seed hubs and water irritation systems, and investing in soil regeneration (which can restore land back to its lush natural state). Regenerative agriculture is the answer, not gifting animals to families with no money or resources to look after them. A Well Fed World offers better gifts from planting edible trees and community gardens to building on-site bakeries and mushroom gardens to generate both income and long-term sustainability. The site has a list of many reasons not to gift farmed animals, including:
- 75% of the world is lactose-intolerant (including 90% of Africa and Asian populations, where most farmed animals for milking are sent/bought). Feeding milk can lead to stomach pains, diarrhoea and vomiting, along with asthma, allergies and auto-immune disorders.
- You can feed far more people with less land on plants. Reverting to animals to feed people is one of the reasons why we still have world hunger. Ethiopia has 50 million cattle yet 50% of its population is going hungry. It also has 50 million sheep and goats, and 35 million chickens. The problems with feeding people are due to over-grazing, deforestation and soil erosion, which leads to deserts. During Live Aid, the UK was importing grain from Ethiopian during the famine, to feed our cattle, to be eaten by humans. The country would be far better placed to grow teff (the world’s smallest grain that provides more calcium than milk) and is also rich in many other nutrients). It needs no water irrigation, is resistant to pests and can be used to make pancakes, bread etc.
- Animals needs water and food to provide milk and meat, and so this food goes to them, rather than to starving humans. Therefore animals often end up neglected and dehydrated, as well as too hot or cold (from no adequate shelter) and lack of vet care. Raising animals requires 10 times more water than growing crops.
- And often you are not paying for a goat anyway, with the charities offering the disclaimer that ‘monies can be used where needed most). And at the end of their lives, many of these animals suffer slaughter by rural butchers (some have lost fingers trying to kill goats, as the knives are too blunt and the animal fights back).
Madness, environmentally unsound and economically disastrous. A means of raising quick money for charities over the Christmas season. World Land Trust (on animal gifting)
Nothing irritates me more than charities abroad that collect money for animals in Asia or Africa. Very little reaches the country or cause, a cynical exploitation of animals and poor people. Each goats eats all the grass and shrubbery on two hectares of land a year. Within 2 years, the people who get goats have an even poorer lifestyle. Maneka Gandhi (former Indian minister for social welfare and animal protection)
