Why shave a goat?

[Javamama]

Do you shave your goats? I'm trying to figure out why people do this. I just can't wrap my mind around making a goat purposely ugly - they look like those hairless cats Is it done for shows or to facilitate shedding the winter coat and growing a new one? I for one never plan to do this, it icks me out.

 

[ksalvagno]

You don't have to. I didn't shave my goats. People mainly do it for show but in some warmer climates they also do it to help keep the goat cool.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Dixie's udder & backside were shaved when I got her, I can understand that for kidding & milking ease. But to shave the whole goat... I don't get it. During the heat wave, my three browsed all day but for the hottest part. Then they would go lay down in a shady spot near the waterer. They didn't seem to be getting overly hot. I would think the hair would help protect from sunburn, too.

 

[Blackbird]

I shave mine. It keeps them so much cooler in the hot months. It also makes them look nice and neatly trimmed up, instead of looking raggedy. Otherwise, they get trimmed for show purposes. No one is shaving their goat until it's hairless. LOL. Or if they are I'm not sure why.

Here is a before and after comparison on Blossom;

Plus, it's actually a lot of fun.

 

[Beekissed]

There was a movie called Men Who Stare at Goats~horrible movie. Now we can have our own~Men Who Shave Goats!

BB, I think she looks lovely and very cool! Your goats must be very tame and sweet to make shaving them a fun thing...my sheeples would be hard to handle for a chore like that! Good thing I don't have to shear the darn things.


I'm wondering though if their hair helps protect them from flies and such in the summer?

 

[Javamama]

BB - your goat looks good! I have seen a few photos where they look hairless! The hair was way shorter than on your goat. Maybe it's just the way the photo made them look. I just thought it was so weird

 

[Blackbird]

I've seen some goats shaved down real close (not to hairless though), but I try to leave half an inch at least. DE and the ducks help with flies, so they aren't too terrible. The worst is when it gets humid out and there is no breeze. That is when they get really miserable. They sit in the hot shed and sweat. Why in the shed? Beats me.

Very tame and sweet? Funny. No. But I like a good challenge that's for sure. The original reason I shaved Blossom was to put the picture on an ad. Sold her at $200. Glad to see her go really. She was very calm and seemed to enjoy the trim, but she was a pain to bring in for milking.

So I shaved up the others while I was at it. I would like to shave Heathcliff but he won't fit on the milk stand. I'd have to lay him down and sit on his to shave him. It's getting too cold now anyway.

 

[Beekissed]

Great price!

All the goaties at the local fair were clipped pretty close. I hate to say it but those little Boers were real sweeties~for goats. Felt real funny to pet them when they were bristley like that.

 

[Javamama]

Men Who Shave Goats

I'm dyin' here Bee Too darn funny.

I admire those Boers too. Such cute faces.