# The healing powers of goats.



## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

In an old English goat book written around 1900, the following account is listed on the healing powers of a male goats odor.



> Although unpleasant to the olfactory organs, this odor is by no means unhealthy, but rather the reverse with animals especially horses, on which it is supposed to act as a preventative against the staggers. For this reason he-goats are mostly kept by innkeepers and persons having large stables...........
> My informant was a large contractor who, having lost annually several horses by the staggers, was one day advised to try keeping a "billy". He had always, he told me, scouted the idea that the smell of this animal could in anyway influence the health of a horse, but in despair determined to give it a trial, and bought one. It turned out that for three or four years while the goat lived not a single death from the old enemy occurred, and thinking that he had obliterated the disease once and for all from the premises and was safe for the future, he did not at once replace the animal. To his dismay, however in less than six months another death occurred in his stables from the same disorder. He then lost no time in procuring a fresh goat, and no more horses died from the disease.
> "The Book of the Goat" by Holmes Pegler


The chapter lists several more stories which all seem to point to the fact that the odor of a buck prevented the horses from getting the staggers and dying. It also lists goats as the cure for cattle abortions. I find it very interesting to peer into the workings of the human mind in matters of unknowns and see what "cures" they find for them. Many times it really works but not for the reason they believe. The author theorized that the odor from a mature buck effected the neurological center in the horse through the sensory rich olfactory nerves thereby preventing the staggers from taking hold. While most people agree that a mature buck can surely impact the olfactory center, it was only about 25 years ago that researchers finally discovered that the toxins in a tiny fungi was the cause of rye grass staggers in horses. So its obvious to assume that the goats kept the toxic plants munched down to tolerable levels in the horse pasture. The same is probably true of the reason for the abortions in cattle. Just think of all the people who put up with the eye watering stench of a buck in the horse barn all those years......

The book has tons of other interesting things in it. You can read this chapter online here; http://www.archive.org/stream/bookofgoa ... 2/mode/2up


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

A year ago I needed two canes to walk across a shopping mall. I have been hiking at least once a week with my goats since the end of April, initially using two canes, and now can walk unassisted.

It must be the smell of goat urine in the back of my minivan that has healed my back. ;-)


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## Shelly Borg (Nov 2, 2009)

I am counting on the healing powers of goats. At least for the soul. My Mother in law is in ICU right now slowly passing away as her body shuts down. The only thing that my kids (human kind) are willing to talk about is the 2 sweet new dairy goat kids we put a down payment on last week. I just emailed the breeder to see if we could come vist in a day or two to give them something to look forwards to.


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## GoatTracksMagazine (Dec 20, 2008)

Very interesting. Cause and effect can be a tricky thing.

It reminds me of the origins of the phrase "get your goat" and horses. I know if someone took my goats away from me I wouldn't function as well. 

Shannon


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

I turned to goats when I could no longer ride horses and they have taken me places I never dreamed about. I tribute one of the reasons for my having stayed as healthy as I am is that I have the goats to get me up in the morning. 

Literally, if the dogs didn't ned to be fed and someone wasn't looking in the window wondering when I was going to come out and play, I'd find it easy to lie there and give in to the sickness.

But, not around here. Everyone is too demanding to let me get away with that much. The goats can see into the house from the pasture and they know where to look. No sneaking around in here.


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