Goats cannot fend for themselves when they are tethered (collared and tied) to a fence post or tree.
Goats are prey to wild animals, such as coyotes.
If you must tether a goat, only do so when a livestock guard animal is present, and only tether for short periods of time, making sure the goat is supervised.
Always provide shelter and fresh water. Goats easily “go down” with pneumonia and other diseases when they are exposed to wet and cold conditions with no means to get out of the weather. Stress is very difficult on goats.
Goats are wonderful weed-eaters, they truly clean up grassy and weed infested areas with gusto…but please, please, please, protect their lives. Their only defense to prey is to head butt and run.
Please pass the word along – tether responsibly (or not at all).
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Good post! When we first were selling goats, we would get calls from people that said they were going to tie out the goats and my Mom had to explain to them that’s not a good idea because of predators, etc. We’ve had to deal with this numerous while raising and breeding goats, that is one reason we got out of selling goats now.
Amy
When we were selling goats to individuals, we discouraged one from purchasing. She was going to tie out the goat all of the time. I couldn’t live with myself knowing that he was going to be at risk. I do understand tethering to clean up an area. Goats are fantastic for that! I have seen a number left out that way all of the time lately, in our travels in Ohio. And I hear the stories about how they are attacked. So sad.
We kept some people from buying our goats because they were going to be tied out all the time. We have explained to people that tethering a goat isn’t a good idea because of predators, coyotes, and wild dogs that roam around. We’ve experienced a scary situation with a full-sized Nubian wether that was tied out and chased by young children and it pinned down my Mom one time and I had to try and get him off her since I was the only one here at the time!
He went back to the auction where he came from, the people that brought him to us, her husband took him back. We’ve put cattle panels up in an area so they could eat down the multi-flora roses but let them back into their pasture later.
Amy
Using cattle panels, or electric netting is easier to move around, and safer for the goats. I’d also like to mention that often tethered goats get scared of something harmless, but end up breaking legs, backs, and necks trying to get away. For those who do tether goats, please check on them frequently to avoid these types of tragedies.
Excellent point! You provided some words of wisdom!
If the goats do not injure themselves when they become excited while tethered (and they do so very easily), they tangle up even more easily.
Wow… goats are left very vulnerable when tied. Great point! Even though I don’t have a farm and live in the middle of the city, I love learning about these things.
I need to talk about goats more often here. People tell us they learn “virtually” through what is written.
I cannot imagine tethering a goat, and, even though I tend to mind my own business, I feel disturbed when I see one on a roap or a chain. They are now throw-away animals.