Why Owning A Goat Is A Significant Step If You Plan To Start Raising Goats?
Image by Ed Yourdon
(more details later, as time permits)
***********************
On my way to dinner at a nearby sushi restaurant the other night, I stopped at a local playground to see if there was anything interesting to photograph. I found that a local community organizer, Darrin Dunn, had raised some contributions to provide uniform-style t-shirts for two competing teams of basketball players in the playground’s court, which has been named "Goat Courts."
Dunn is the CEO of the Earl Manigault Foundation, Inc., and you can reach him by phone at 832-660-1039 if you’d like to offer assistance; he doesn’t have a Website or email address at the moment. The foundation, and the basketball court, are named after the legendary Earl "the Goat" Manigault, who died in 1998 after playing professional basketball in France and Germany. You can learn more about Manigault, the basketball court, and the local tournaments in a July 10, 2009 Black Star News article titled Hope Dreams – Beyond Basketball, which was written by Mitch Ligon, whose chess-playing talents (in the same park) I showed in this Flickr photo.
Anyway, it was an interesting game, with lots of action. I took some 300 shots, and whittled it down to 30 keepers; I’ll upload 10 of them each day, while trying to juggle my other work demands…
Article by Ted Allen
Did you know that owning a goat is fast becoming a trend in many parts of the country? The spotlight is now on goats, and these animals are enjoying recognition for their versatility and their role in the livestock industry. Studies show that the goat population is on the rise. If you’re thinking of owning an animal as a pet or a source of profit, this article will tell you why a goat must be at the top of your list.
According to history, goats are some of the very first animals to be domesticated by man. This goes to show that goats are social and they respond better to human instruction as well as attention. What’s more, the fact that they’ve been considered as companions by humans since the world’s early days proves that goats have maintained their loving nature, unlike certain animals that have gone from tame to wild. This also hints of the many benefits man enjoys from owning goats.
So, what exactly are the benefits you can gain by owning a goat?
First of all, goats are known to be potent sources of protein. In fact, a lot of cultures all over rely on goats for their protein needs, particularly those in rural areas. A doe, a female goat, has the ability to transform a variety of vegetation into nutritious and delicious milk. Goats do need good hay, grain and water in order to produce generous amounts of fresh, healthy milk.
Aside from milk, owning a goat can also give you excellent meat. Goat meat, also known as chevon or cabrito, has higher protein content and lower fat content compared to pork or beef. Because it is lean, it can be prepared in a number of ways. If you’re restricted by religion to eat pork or beef, a lot of cultures think that chevon is your best alternative.
From dietary purposes, let’s go straight to the end of the digestive process: manure. Did you know that goats can produce rich manure that many gardeners consider the best? As fertilizer, goat manure offers phosphate, nitrogen, and several other minerals that plants need in order to grow spectacularly well. This is great if you’re into gardening competitions or simply want your garden to stand out.
In conclusion, there are a lot of reasons why you should consider owning a goat. Remember, no matter what you use your goat for, it’s important that you stay committed to raising goats right.
