I've seen many pics on websites of goats with collars for identification and some for tethering. Are collars safe? I always thought that they would hang a collar on something (fence, brush, tree, another goat...) What are the pros & cons of goats with collars? We don't need collars for i.d. purposes, but it would be nice to tether the more dominant does at feeding times.

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), January 09, 2002

Answers

Hi Sharon. My turn to tell what I (might) know.

I have always known people to have collars on their goats. I find that it is easier to lead them then try to push them. When I decided to put collars on I went around checking every possible thing that I thought they may get hung up on and removed it or altered it in a way that they collar could not get hung up. My Dad always had collars on his goats and so did my grandparents. Of course they thought goats ate anything even tin cans. I have also noticed the pics and made it a point to look closely before getting my goats to make sure that it was safe for them or at least that was what people were doing. The people I bought my goats from had several goats and all of them had collars. Did I help or did I babble?

-- george (bngcrview@aol.com), January 09, 2002.

I would not use collars if any of my goats had horns. They can hang each other with a horn through someone elses collar. They have those big clunky plastic link collars that come in lots of colors. I have never found them attractive, though I did have them at one time. They break eaisly if they get hung in brush. I use the nylon web collars, but only with the plastic snaps, they will also break if they need to. I write the goats names on them with white slick paint from Wallmart craft section, this makes it so much eaiser when someone else is doing something for me, instead of having to say, milk the frosted roan doe with the white ears, I can say milk Poptart! I use velcro closing cattle leg bands from jeffers for kids, I cut them in half width wise so each one makes two, and write their names on them. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 09, 2002.

Any collar that is like a choke chain or leather should not be used as they can strangle if caught in something. We use the plastic break away collaers for this reason. I had heard too many storied about goats getting hung up and dieing.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), January 09, 2002.

Glad I read this. Didn"t knnow of the break -aways. I keep dif. sounding bells on all, but favorite buck chocked to death from tourniqueting himself on small stump.

-- Elizabeth Quintana (rockshelter@webtv.com), January 09, 2002.

I use three different types of collars. A nylon dog type collar is good, I have never had any kind of an accident with this kind of collar if it's a good thick one that won't twist. I wouldn't use thin flimsy ones. I used to tether my does all the time, and this was the only kind of collar I used, nobody ever strangled. Downside is the price, they rub hair off the doe's neck, and they aren't as pretty for shows.

The other type I use is a choke collar, BUT I do not put it on as a choke collar. That would strangle a goat within hours! Instead, I drape it over the doe's neck, take a short piece of copper wire, and wire it closed. I crimp the ends down so they won't cut the skin. I wire it so that it is just small enough not to fall off her head, but it can come off if her it get's caught, and, there is the wire, which opens right up if a lot of stress is placed on it. I have lost a lot of these collars, but I would rather lose the collar than a doe. They can be used for shows as well, and are cheaper than the nylon, and fit a wider range of ages and neck sizes.

My last choise is a braided baling twine collar. I hate to use these, my sister once had a doe strangle to death when it was tethered with one on. If I use baling twine, it is always braided, always tied so that the knot will not slip and tighten, and left large enough that it can slip over the head if necessary. Drape the braided twine over the neck, take both ends in one hand, and tie them in an overhand knot. That won't slip. Even so, I don't like the baling twine, it is too strong to break easily, and it can twist.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 10, 2002.

The only thing that I can add to all the above posts is to check out Jan Bothwell's "Good Collars" http://cybergoat.com/GoodCollars/

They are the 'breakaway' collars and there are many colors to choose from. Since they're in different sizes, you can match colors for mom & kids.

A couple of years ago, I was at the "Caprine Outing" sponsored by Cornell University in NY. One of the children's projects was to make a braided collar from baling twine. It was actually quite attractive using green & brown twine mixed. It had a regular buckle, not a breakaway snap, but I suppose it could be modified. If interested, let me know and I'll dig up the instructions.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), January 10, 2002.

My goats have the nylon web dog collars...with plastic snaps. I agree with all that vicki said. My angora goats with horns don't get collars at all either. I use the horns for a handle need be. I wouldn't use the choke type either. I am always amazed when people do. My main reason for the collars is for leading them. It is almost impossible to lead a goat with no horns or collar. (especially if you are not carrying a bucket of grain...but then you would be leading them all at once I suppose!)

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), January 10, 2002.

I also use the nylon with platic snaps.

-- george (bngcrview@aol.com), January 10, 2002.

if a doe doesn't have a collar, you can lead her just like they do the sheep in the 4-h shows. (Do sheep in regular shows get led that way too?) Just grasp the neck right behind the head with your right hand and with your left hand on the underside of the neck, it makes your hands like a collar. If they get used to it, you can lead them that way with just the hand on the top of the neck, but the collars are still easier to lead with.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 10, 2002.

Thanks everyone! Due to the fact that our present buck has horns and we run him with our girls during part of the year, I think we'll only use nylon collars w/ plastic snaps when necessary for leading one or for tethering for short periods of time when the buck is not around. Thanks for all your help! I checked out the cybergoat website... cool colors!

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), January 10, 2002.

I used to leave collars on my goats all the time. One day my son went out and found one of my four month old babies dead, she had tried to crawl under a chainlink gate and got her nylon collar stuck on a link. By the time he found her she had been in the sun for most of the day and was quite bloated it was a horrible sight to see. Not one my son will ever forget and he will never let the goats wear collars only when showing. I also had one of my 4H kids tell me a goat jumped off one of the wooden play things and caught her collar on a nail that was sticking out alittle and hung.

-- Tammy Vevag (tvevag@yahoo.com), February 25, 2002.