Cuzco's Glamour Shot o' the Day
Sadly, only a week after his first spring brushing, Cuzco's hair started coming out in clumps and now he's almost bald, the poor fella! Given the current sad state of his usually glorious ensemble, there will be no "Glamour Shots" for a while. We don't want Cuzco to be embarrassed by his nakedness. Hopefully a new coat will grow in quickly.

But in the meantime, we still have stories which are sometimes even better than photos. I got a new harness today and Cuzco wanted to try it on for size. It was a chill, blustery day and the patio where I normally tack up was slick with ice, so I figured I'd take Cuzco in the cozy basement and try the harness on by the wood stove. I'm used to bringing the girls in every morning to be milked. It's usually a pretty calm affair: I open the basement door and the goat walks sedately in ahead of me and moseys over to the stanchion with maybe a pause here or there to investigate something on the way.

But Cuzco is not a sedate kinda guy. Purely out of habit, I opened the door for Cuzco like I do for the girls without first haltering him or even grabbing his collar. I might as well have opened the door for a tornado! There was half a box of popcorn left over from a movie last Wednesday that was sitting on a shelf ten feet inside the door. I'd been rationing it out to all the goats over the last couple of days, and it might as well have had a homing beacon on it. In the blink of an eye, Cuzco tore across the space and dove his head into the popcorn and inhaled most of it before I could reach him. I tried to pull it down from the shelf so he could at least eat it on the floor (I was envisioning mouse-attracting bits of popcorn scattered behind the shelf from Cuzco's vicious assault on the box). But this effort turned into of a tug-of-war which resulted in Cuzco's head getting stuck inside the popcorn box.

I pulled the now-empty box off Cuzco's head and snatched at his collar, but he was too quick for me. He whisked away and made a lunge for the shelf where he knew he'd smelled animal crackers and peanuts. First Cuzco savaged the animal cracker box. It was plastic and the lid was screwed on. It took him less than half a second to realize he couldn't immediately access the crackers, so he tossed it off the shelf in disdain and turned to the peanuts. They were brand new, still sealed and sitting inside a shopping bag. I reached Cuzco just as he reached the peanuts. He felt my hand close on his collar and made one more desperate lunge that swept every item off the shelf into a heap on the floor.

I had hold of the collar, but when the goat is as big and strong and determined as Cuzco, and when one is laughing so hard it's difficult even to stand up, let alone control a raging, 200 lb. beast, keeping hold of the collar doesn't really make a difference. I "accompanied" Cuzco to the bin of alfalfa pellets where he shoved aside the big jar of Cosequin that serves to weigh down the cheap plastic cover, knocked the alfalfa bin open with his nose, and dove his entire head into the contents. He was buried up to the eyeballs and gorging much bigger mouthfuls of the pellets than he could actually chew. I clung desperately to his collar, trying to pull him out and thinking that he must come up for air eventually, at which point I would slam the lid down and hustle him away. But Cuzco knew my scheme and refused to surface. So I pulled harder on his collar in an attempt to drag him out by main force. Well, I managed to drag him out but the bin came with him. I had just filled it that morning and I watched in horror as the contents slowly began to pour over Cuzco's head and spread across the floor.

Just at that moment, Phil, who had been laughing at this fiasco from the other side of the room, saw the desperateness of the situation and raced over to grab the bin before it tumbled over completely. I tugged Cuzco to where his halter was hanging, but before I could reach it he shoveled the lid off the metal grain can and almost pulled that one over before I hauled him out with Phil's help. Once haltered, Cuzco knew the rampage was over and submitted immediately. He followed me across the basement to the tie pole, gentle as a lamb, and stood perfectly during the long, tedious ordeal of adjusting a new harness. That's Cuzco... whether he's being good or bad, he puts his whole heart into it.
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Hello Nanno and Cuzco
Good Story
Here is a thought.
RE: His Coat problem ,  Maybe he is getting ready to be a Nude Model?
From the Story it sounds like he has his "Table Dance" doing good. Smile
Or a Phoenix Goat (Harry Potter story line)?
Or a New goat breed  like the Hairless Cats Or Dogs?
Hope Cuzco's new cloths come in fast. Smile

.jpg   Hairless Cat.jpg (Size: 4.72 KB / Downloads: 98)
Hairless Cat


.jpg   Hairless Dog.jpg (Size: 10.9 KB / Downloads: 98)

Hairless Dog

Best Wishs for Cuzco and you
hihobaron Pete and Sam
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Wow, Nan!  What a way to start my day!  I was laughing so hard at Cuzco's antics and your struggles!  What an adventure that was!  It's amazing how we "think" we have control of our goats and then when decide to act independent and use their extremely smart bring to get what they want all of our confidence in being the "fearless leader" goes out the window!
Goatberries Happen!
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It's been a while since I've posted a shot of Cuzco. He lost all his hair in April and it had to grow back so he could be his usual glamorous self. And for all who are wondering, yes, his coat grew back in very nicely. It's short, sleek, and flashy as it should be. 
   
   

Kisses, Cuzco? 
   

He's a little stiffer when he shakes hands these days. 
   

And when I ask him to "Jump!" this is about has high as he goes. 
   

But he can still go down and "Repent!" 
   

He's getting up there in years, but he's still my favorite big ol' buddy. 
   
   
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Hello Nanno
Glad Cuzco is doing better coat wise.
He looks good for his age. Smile
Did you see my post about "Whole Roasted SoyBeans"
Suggestion: Based on my OLD horse experience and your info on his dental condition.
Beat Pulp Shreds "SOAKED" and Soybean meal, plus his browse /Texturized pellet feed can be added to the mash.
Yes, I had to fix a ration like that for a 30+ year old pony that had NO teeth. He was still kicking when I moved.
The soybean meal will help his coat any way. Protein will help him, BP fiber will help him, especially wet.
Happy Trails
hihobaron ,Blizzard,Fuzzy,Pete and Sam and the rest of the Troops here in SC
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Lovely pics Nanno. Cuzco looks a lot better than the last photo I saw of him, when his hair was falling out!
Happiness is a baby goat snoring in your lap
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Thanks DownUnderGal! He certainly does look better with his fur on!

Also, thanks for the advice, Hihobaron. I was thinking of starting Cuzco on shredded beet pulp next winter. I hadn't thought of soybeans or soybean meal. Is that usually available in feed stores? I don't see much soybean anything around here because soybeans aren't grown in Colorado and I don't think many farmers/ranchers are very familiar with them. But I can check in the feed store next time we're there.
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I have just been researching soybean hulls, per the article about UC that Dave posted. They don't seem readily available here but I will keep looking.
Happiness is a baby goat snoring in your lap
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Hello Nanno, and DownUnder Gal
I have had trouble finding "Whole Roasted Soybeans" in many places.
NOTE: Do not use RAW Soybeans they are toxic as are seed Soybeans.
You can substitute soybean oil meal for whole roasted soybeans
Soybean oil itself is a good feed additive to help coat condition.
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Your feed store might handle Soybean Oil meal or be able to get it.
Soybean Oil Meal is what is "Left Over " from oil extraction but still has feed value.
DownUnder Gal  RE: Soybean "HULLs" They use for bulk in many feeds, fiber only no feed value.
Just like here in the USA many Livestock Feeds made by major mills use "Ground Peanut Hulls" for bulk only.
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One good one I use Is Purina Senior:
It has BP ,Soybean Oil Meal, plus the normal stuff for older horses, and is a sweet feed. Older horses love it or goats would too.  I would like to add that when mixed with a wet mash of Shredded BP and DE it is gone in nothing flat.
DE is for feed through worms and external fly control.
Happy Trails
hihobaron Blizzard, Fuzzy,Pete, Sam and the Troops in South Carolina
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Hello All
RE: Whole Roasted Soybeans.
When I had a good supply at home and had a barn party I would put them out in a dish like shelled salted peanuts.
People would grab a hand and munch them down. Smile MMM Good. What are they? My response Horse Feed. Smile
If just need in small quantities of them for 1 -2 goats Try a Health Food Store. I was feeding 1/4 cup a day X 2 to my Stallions for good coats and I bought in 50# bags for about $35 more than a couple months worth supp;y.
Happy Trails
hihobaron
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