New goat packer in central Colorado
#7
(05-19-2019, 07:20 AM)misterburley Wrote: Durango has this way about him that the other goats don't.  If you lay down he will crawl on your chest, put his cheek on yours and go to sleep.  I had read several sources that state the Nubian makes a relatively poor packer due to laziness, loudness etc. but I have  high hopes for him.  He has heart.  He loves to follow and be with his herd of goats and people.

The other Nubian trait that many people don't talk about and which most packers don't realize is that the breed is typically very affectionate toward people--far more so than other dairy breeds. It's one reason we breed Alpine/Nubian crosses. A purebred Nubian may be lazy, but he will probably follow you on the trail anyway because he's loyal to you even if he isn't very dedicated to the work. With the crossbreds at least, the loudness usually gets a lot less with age. Ours seem to stop vocalizing almost entirely by the time they're about 2-3 years old. 

One reason I think Nubians can be "lazy" is because the wooden saddles that generally fit the Alpines very well do not fit the typically broad Nubian backs at all. People don't realize this and they saddle the goat and weigh him down with packs, but they don't realize that the saddle is pinching very painfully and that's why their goat is stopping, laying down, crying, and turning back toward the trailhead. I'm becoming more and more convinced that there are very few "lazy" goats in the world. When a goat isn't working well, it's probably because he's hurting somewhere but he doesn't have any way to tell you. Some goats will push through the pain and work anyway, but Nubians are definitely more sensitive than other breeds and they will usually tell you when something hurts. 

Your babies are adorable. I hope you have many great adventures with them in the years to come!
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RE: New goat packer in central Colorado - by Nanno - 05-19-2019, 02:01 PM

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