Defending Goats and Kittens

It’s refreshing to see so many people with a conscience these days.  I have always been one to step in and protect the critters when I see them having a rough time.  I once saw a news story about a guy who jumped into whitewater rapids to rescue a dog, and the guy drowned, but the dog got out ok.  I’m sure there’s a special place in heaven for that guy.
I’ve been raising dairy-goats since ’84.  Right now I have about 17 in all, but at one time had over 30.  Although I’m not a milk-drinker, I use their milk for making butter and cheese, plus it’s used as a bio-booster in my compost formulas.
Since I’m a vegetarian, I never kill any of my critters and then eat them.  That’s just barbaric and unnecessary.  I feed my goats alfalfa, grass, organic grains, and free-choice mineral with copper & selenium.  The rest of their diet comes from the forest where they live.  My two Anatolian guard dogs keep them protected from predators.
Goats are unique and essential for my custom organic fertilizer amendment business.  What makes them unique here is that they spend all day out browsing the forest and then hang-out in the barn at night, where they poop-out all that nice diversity of digested forest biomass into their bedding.  I collect that stuff at regular intervals and add it to my compost.  What I get is a very nutrient-dense soil amendment complete with all the essential micro-nutrients needed to grow super food.  Great job, thanks girls (and guys).
Over half of my goat population are elderly and retired.  I still keep them as healthy as I can because they deserve that after serving me so well.  When you have goats, you are bound and gagged… it’s a commitment.  Occasionally I have to put one down, but I never let them suffer.  I have one 5 year old that’s blind from polio (PEM) because I got overwhelmed with work when she was a baby and didn’t notice that she had pink-eye until it was almost too late.  She’s very affectionate and fun to play with.
I take in abandoned and abused critters whenever I can, and they all have a practical function on my farm.  The guardian dogs came from an abusive Army Sergeant, the two cats (mousers) were dumped and just wandered in, and they all get along just fine.
I realize that there are a lot of hard-hearted people who think I’m nuts for doing this, but somehow it always seems to work to my benefit.  The truth is, I would do it anyway, regardless of benefits.  It would be nice to have some help, though…

wait, huh, what? its barbaric to kill an animal?  Interesting sentiment, but not something omnivores adhere to.

I lovemy goats also. and I have several that are around just because I like them. In fact I have recently sat down and made a list of which ones i am willing to part with to lighten my load a bit and I am dissapointed a bit in myself that they are some of my better goats from a practical standpoint...but I just am not willing to put much effort into them. the ones on the keep list are crippled peggy peg leg, and an old granny goat that can't be/shouldn't be bred again as well as a few pygmys that were some of my first goats.

I am not a vegetarian and some goats are designated food each year. they live happy lives that are ended swiftly without pain and provide my family or others with healthy food.

Not to pick on you too much but isn't the idea of having a predator that is so aggressive as a cat (especially song birds) sort of out of phase with being a vegetarian? I always wondered about that. If you ever have seen a cat play with its live food, you will know they aren't about a clean kill.

We are omnivores and I respect your right to make your own decision about taking a life, but it just seems a bit odd to discuss it and discuss cats at the same time.

Fred Morgan wrote:
Not to pick on you too much but isn't the idea of having a predator that is so aggressive as a cat (especially song birds) sort of out of phase with being a vegetarian? I always wondered about that. If you ever have seen a cat play with its live food, you will know they aren't about a clean kill.
We are omnivores and I respect your right to make your own decision about taking a life, but it just seems a bit odd to discuss it and discuss cats at the same time.

i am especially miffed when i see vegetarians or vegans feeding their animals dog and cat food
the pet food industry is a bit worse than i would like to know or allow into my imagination
and pet food is not a great way of sustaining a healthy animal, your putting their health out of your hands and into the hands of corporations

i wonder how many ghost slaves it takes to keep a dog or a cat alive for 10 + years

I think that for many vegetarians/vegans its more about sticking their fingers in their ears and closing their eyes....sort of an.....i'f I don't see it isn't happening'.....mentality. pouring food out of a bag its a rather distant way to feed anything. it is expensive to buy quality dog and cat food. most of it is corn. I suppose some vegan/vegetarians think that is a good thing.... when it is one of the worst possible things they could be feeding their pet.