# Should I go for it?



## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

I seen this ad. I even called and got info on him.
He is 4 years old. They went on a 4 mile ride.
And even though he was out of shape and a bit
chubby. He tried to keep up. He was not raised
as a packgoat. But is super friendly. He is a large goat.
They are asking $50 dollars for him.
but I think she would give him to me. 
Should I get him?


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

what about CAE, pseudotuberculosis, worms, etc? Meaning - is he healthy?

The foto doesn't tell anything about his conformation (back, legs).


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

sanhestar said:


> Hello,
> 
> what about CAE, pseudotuberculosis, worms, etc? Meaning - is he healthy?
> 
> The foto doesn't tell anything about his conformation (back, legs).


I did not ask about CAE. I think she got him as a pet/horse companion. I suppose I could have him tested for the CAE. I have a good freind that shows at goats. 
And is willing to show me how to draw blood.
And help me send it off.
I never heard of the pseukotuberculosis. Is there a test or vaccination?
She normally kept him wormed and vaccinated at the same time as the horse.
Said he needs that done. Not concerned too much on that. Titers
would probably show he is OK. Alot of over vaccinations here in the states.
I am new to goat packing. "When" I go look at him. What should
I look at regarding confirmation? 
I use to raise and show rabbits. And while you strive to breed the "prefect" confirmation. I do know there is no such thing as
prefection. But want to pack. And avoid really bad confirmation traits. 
I bought Sully as a packgoat. And I am not sure what is going
on with him. I wormed him. He is better. But it has only been a week. 
R.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

pseudotuberkulosis (caseous lymphadenitis) is a chronic infection of the lymphnodes in the body. Periodically there will be abscesses with highly contagious cheese/lumpy lucking pus. Check for knots or scars at the location of the lymphnodes. The most common location is behind/under the jaw:

http://www.landwirtschaftskammer.de/lan ... kulose.htm

but also internal lymphnodes can be affected.

The blood test is not reliable, false positives and negatives possible.

Conformation:

- back straight
- back long enough for a saddle but not too long
- rib cage wide enough for a saddle
- strong leg bones (no spaghetti legs)
- straight legs
- hind legs not longer than front legs 
- look out for splayed toes, broken patterns or other hoof deformations caused by lack of trimming/uncorrect trimming (if he was stabled with a horse it's possible that his hooves where trimmed according to horse patterns, not goat patterns)

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/goatoverview.html

goat should be more meat goat type than dairy goat type

This, f.e. is a goat with very poor conformation, related to packing:

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/goat ... /index.htm

straight hind legs - you will want more angulation in the hook
back higher than back - saddle will slide forward
the lenght of the back seems accectable.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets ... n-buck.jpg

here the back should be shorter but all in all very nice


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

His feet were trimmed by a horse farrier.

Here is another photo of his front end. These were
photos in the ad. Maybe I will have her take photos
and email them to me of side and backend.










I do not think she would mind because she knows I live a couple hours away.

I could really see in the saanen doe the incorrect topline.
Thank you, R

Thank you


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

I remember some goatpacker's story about having a goat that was bonded to horses and would take off and follow horses that passed on the trail instead of following it's people. I would check to see how this goat does on a walk if the horse doesn't go. Maybe it is totally bonded to the horse and would not be happy living with goats and people. Maybe you could see how it is around your goat Sully once you check it out for contageous health problems, and see if it likes other goats before you bring it home. Maybe it's never been around goats.


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

+1 to what Ali said. My goat was raised with horses and we had a heck of a time three years ago when we moved the horses to a place that was not remotely goat-friendly. I have always had to board my horses out, and setting up goat-proof fencing at the new place wasn't an option. It took a good year of Cuzco living in our own back yard without horses before he bonded to us over them. Any time a horse would go by on the trail, Cuzco would do everything in his power to follow the horse instead of Phil, even after it was out of sight. Usually that meant tying Cuzco to a tree (so as not to get dragged around by him) and then waiting for a long time after the horse was gone. He still likes horses, and I have to grab him if we're near them because he _will_ walk up to random strange horses and say "hi", and some horses freak out. But at least he's now happy to follow Phil and I, even when I take him down to see his old buddies for an afternoon.

Also, Cuzco has never really bonded with other goats very well. I have a friend who keeps Cuzco when Phil and I are out of town, and she has both goats and horses. Cuzco hangs out and eats with the horses even though they pick on him. He largely ignores the other goats, and he's actually a little afraid of them (even though they're all pygmies and 1/3 his size!).


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

So here is another photo of that goat. I have more, back and front
shots. but have to load them into photo bucket. They are
too large for this site.

I am concerned about the horse issue. 
He has accually slightly injured himself trying to follow the horses.

The price is 50 bucks. but I think she would accually give him to me.
She wants him to go to a good home.

I kinda feel bad for her If I do not take him. Anyone in S. Oregon
N. California need a buddy for your horse?


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

$50 is not much risk even sight unseen.


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

Bob Jones said:


> $50 is not much risk even sight unseen.


This is too true. I guess it is not the money that has me
going back and forth on this.

It is what could happen. My goats stay in their fence.
What will happen if a horse rides by? I can not afford to
upgrade fences. Also a two horse trailer? Is that a large 
enough shelter for 3 goats. My family thinks I am nuts with
two goats? 3?

I am tired I am sure there is other things that will come to mind
later. 
Let me ask you, Bob. How did the photos of him look to you?
Give me imput on his conf"O"rmation?


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

It don't have horns... I know how to spell it. I don't know what it means ;-)

I was given two goats from a packing company that wasn't using them. I am very happy to have them. Diego has a crick in his back and Mikey walks funny under load. So I don't usually load them fully. 

I am a hobbyist who mostly does day hikes. They motivate me to get out and walk because they are so much fun. My long term plans are to give them away in a few years when the yearlings are packing, and to settle in to my own mini herd with babies that I have raised up and trained. So Mikey and Diego have given me valuable experience in the meantime.

When the time comes to do it, I may end up keeping them. I don't really need to haul 300 pounds of gear on my day hikes. So I don't need goats that look perfect in their little white outfits. ;-)

As long as they can carry all the stuff I need for the Julie Andrews look alike contest at the top of the mountain, and their eyes don't plop out too often, I'm happy.

There's an old saying... something like "don't look a gift goat in the mouth."


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

THis is not a bad looking goat. He would be worth a try, I think.And you already know he can hike. You will have to spend a lot of retraining time with him and you won't know right away if he will work out, but for $50 you can always resell him as a horse companion.

Threre are conformation diagrams in "Practical Goatpacking" and also on the NAPgA site under the 4-H project information. They are the same as they took them from the book, but free if you don't want to buy the book.


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

I think I am going to pass on him. I am new to pack goats. And right now I am dealing with Sully. So think I would be biteing off more than I can chew at this time.

He is located in Southern Oregon if there is anyone else out there that would like him.


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