Promote the Goat

Promote the Goat

            Goats must have the worst public relations in the animal kingdom. When a new person finds out about our business of making goat milk soap, half usually snicker and make a joke, “Will I smell like a goat after using it?” 

I blame the Billy goat for much of the bad press. He is the central figure in comic strips, the one who knocks down little children and eats tin cans in a single gobble.  He is portrayed as mean, funny, aggressive, and above all, smelly. 

But the bull is not representative of all cows, so how did the Billy goat hijack our impression of all goats?

            The next time you go into one of those quaint little gift shops where they hang white lights and sell candles, look around and notice the animals. You’ll see chickens, sheep, horses, rabbits, dogs, cats, and…pigs?  Yes, pigs, dangling from Christmas trees, stuffed and sitting on shelves, resin figures with bows around their necks, floppy ears and cute expressions. 

The animal missing from these menageries?  The goat.   

It is my theory that goats need to take some PR lessons from pigs.  If there ever was an unattractive and smelly animal, it surely must be the pig. But, in 1952 something significant happened which changed the image of pigs forevermore.  A bestselling book was published by E. B. White, called Charlotte’s Web.  This book did more for pigs than even pigs could have dreamed possible.  We fell hopelessly in love with Wilbur and rooted for him to be saved from slaughter. 

Five years later, another famous book was written about goats.  P.C. Asbjornsen and J.E. Moe published The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  The hero in this book is a Billy goat who turns into a killing machine and rips into the evil troll.  And therein lies the problem with our view of goats.  

On behalf of goats everywhere, let me try to correct a few myths.

Goats cannot eat tin cans. Goats are ruminants, meaning they chew cud as they process food through four stomach chambers, just like a cow. They are curious and attracted to shiny things. They might nibble on shiny buttons, earrings, and even tin cans, but they are actually picky eaters.  In fact, they love to munch on thistles and multi-floral roses, the bane of a farmer’s existence.

            Only Billy goats smell. For you non-farmers, the Billy goat is the male goat that has not been castrated.  Without getting into the delicate details, the smell is important in the mating process.  Does and wethers (castrated males) smell just as good as any other animal when kept in a clean environment.    

            Goats are intelligent animals with the ability to be trained.  Wethers can be taught to pull carts and work as draft animals. Does and wethers can work as pack animals. 

            Goat milk is easier to digest than cow’s milk.  Some doctors recommend it for certain gastric illnesses or liver dysfunctions.  Elderly folks and babies who have digestive problems also benefit from its qualities.  You can also make cheese, ice cream, fudge, pudding, and yogurt from goat’s milk.

Goat milk is excellent for your skin, which is why we put it in soaps and body creams.  It is high in vitamins, minerals, nutrients, protein and lipids, which all serve to nourish your skin.

            Goats make great pets.  They are affectionate and good with children, especially when handled frequently at an early age.    

Goats are among the healthiest and hardiest of domestic animals and thrive well on hills not suitable for cows. They are less expensive and easier to manage than cows.  

The Bible mentions goats in 94 different verses.  Historically, goats were highly valued for their meat, milk, and skin and even today, in many developing countries, goats are still providing for the basic needs of a family just as they did 3,000 years ago.  In fact, goat’s meat is eaten in 80% of the world. 

So what is to be done about this bad press problem? Unless a famous author decides to write a bestselling book with a goat as the hero or unless goats rally together and hire a public relations firm, the image of goats is unlikely to change.

But with this new information on the finer points of goats, maybe you can be a Caprine Ambassador, promoting the goat in your own neck of the woods.