Mexican Goats

The goats. The goats. The goats. Where do I start talking about our visits from the goats?

We have been here for three months and the one constant and daily issue that we have had has been trying to deal with several herds of goats that enter the property to eat the plants that our landlord planted before we came. I must say that for a period of time we felt that we were winning the battle to protect the garden from the goats. But ultimately the goats have won.

The other day, we came home from a 1 hour trip into Troncones, saw goat prints all around the house and then saw that all the plants that we watered and cared for every day, had been eaten! The goats even had the nerve to go onto the veranda and eat the house plants. It was a big disappointment.

Neighbours own the goats, but for years before the house was built, cows and then goats were allowed to roam the jungle and that property for food and possibly water. The owners would open their pens and let them roam. No damage to anyones property. But now someone owns the property that the goats always foraged in. There is a new house with landscaping and a swimming pool - easy food and water.

We went for a drive to see where the goats lived and felt a little sorry for them. They were jammed in what looked like a chicken coop. Hardly any room to move. We understood how they would love their freedom roaming around, munching the freshly watered green plants at this house.

The owner of the house has realized, after daily goat reports, that he needs to put up a fence around his big property. But not any fence. It has to be a goat proof fence. It is going to cost a lot but it has to be done. In the meantime, a lovely man and his wife, were hired to fix a barbed wire fence that was in bad shape around the perimeter of the property, and to look out for goats so we could have a little freedom in order to get ready to go home.

So what have we learned about naughty goats?

Spanish colonists brought Spanish goats, also known as brush or scrub goats, to the Caribbean and Mexican shores during the 1500s. In time, these hardy goats adapted to the local landscapes and conditions as they browsed free range. Note free range…

Goats were a good choice of animal for settlers as they provided milk, meat, hair, and hides. They were also used to clear brush. Some of the goats though became feral. Due to tough outdoor living, these goats became totally suited to the hot and unforgiving climates where they lived.

The good thing for goat owners is that these goats required little medical attention and they are parasite-resistant. They also tolerate harsh climatic conditions and can survive on low-quality pastures, like the jungle vegetation here. We have seen goats stand tall on their hind legs and reach for a green leaf on a tree. That’s the way that they broken several new trees that were planted around the house. Goat owners don’t have to spend very much on pricey feeds!

Some owners even claim they never have to trim their goats’ hooves. For this reason, the Spanish goat breed is very inexpensive to groom and to maintain. For poor people, there are a lot of pluses to owning goats, but …Read more