A packgoat is generally a wether (neutered male goat), but they can also be a doe (female goat) that is either dry (not in milk) or in milk. The breed of goat can be any variety of dairy goat either purebred or crossbred.

A packgoat is a hiking partner that is experienced in the back country, in tune with its instincts, strong, hard working, intelligent, loyal, and disciplined.

Common in other parts of the world as pack animals they have been used in packing across the Himalayas in Tibet for thousands of years.

Why a Packgoat?

Goats are friendly and personable which makes them enjoyable companions.

 

Easy manageability, less expensive to keep, easy to care for, friendly attitude and willingness to work all describe the packgoat.

Most goats can be handled by people of all ages without any prior training.

A properly bonded goat follows happily along like the family dog without any lead rope or restraints.

They are sure-footed and can go where other pack animals can not even begin to consider going.

They have a low impact on the environment.

• Their droppings and tracks resemble deer and elk.
• Since they are browsers, they prefer to eat brush and weeds, taking a nibble here and a nibble there, leaving very little sign that they were even around.
• They survive extremely well on common back country forage, which means you don’t have to carry a lot of supplemental feed like you do with other livestock.

 

A properly conditioned goat can carry about 30% of its body weight, usually about 50 to 70 lbs for an average sized pack wether who is 3 years old.

They can travel 10 to 12 miles a day, depending on the ruggedness of the terrain. Goats in good shape can travel even farther.

A goats walking speed is about the same as a humans, making them ideally suited for people who like to hike but don’t like to carry the pack.

A goat can go for a couple of days without water, which is very convenient in dry or desert conditions.

Families with young children can start packing into the back country sooner as the goats can pack the extra’s that little ones require, plus you can train a goat to carry youngsters quite easily when they become to tired to walk on their own.

As there is nothing nicer than to be snugly tucked into your sleeping bag on a cold summer night, snuggled up to your goat (warm and cozy and smells so nice).

Once you have packed with a goat you will wonder how you ever got along without one!

This information is produced by:
Donna Semasko of Edelweiss Acres.