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Goat condoms save Kenyan herds
Maasai herdsmen in Kenya have turned to an age-old contraceptive device, the "olor", to protect their precious goat herds from an ongoing drought.
The olor is made from cowhide or a square piece of plastic, and is tied around the belly of the male goat. It prevents the bucks from mating with the female goats. The herdsmen are using the device to limit the goat population and ensure there are not too many animals grazing on sparse vegetation.
"We don't want them to breed in this drought," says Mr Ole Ngoshoi Kipameto, a goat owner in Kajiado district. The area, which is 80km (50 miles) from the capital, Nairobi, has received insufficient rainfall, making the landscape barren and forcing residents to move from place to place in search of pasture and water.
In the Maasai community, livestock are often people's only assets and sole means of survival. "We tie this hide under the belly of the buck for three months. After that we remove it and then they can breed by November when the short rains come," Mr Kipameto says.
(continues at link) Maasai herdsmen in Kenya have turned to an age-old contraceptive device, the "olor", to protect their precious goat herds fr... more -
Genetically engineered meat could be on the table after U.S. review
After more than seven years of discussion, the Food and Drug Administration Thursday proposed regulations that would allow the commercial use of genetically engineered animals.
Such animals are genetically altered — their genes are either changed or genes from another animal are added — for a specific purpose. The FDA states that such animals either produce drugs; serve as models for human disease; produce industrial or consumer products, such as fiber; or have improved food-use qualities, such as being more nutritious.
The only genetically engineered creature available for sale in the USA is an aquarium fish that glows in the dark. Examples currently in the laboratory stage include:
•Salmon that grow more quickly and efficiently.
•Goats that produce drugs in their milk or blood.
•Chickens that produce drugs in the whites of their eggs.
•Cows that cannot get the brain-wasting mad cow disease.
•Pigs engineered to make their organs transplantable into humans without rejection.
•Hypoallergenic dogs and cats.
The proposed regulations would require FDA review of each application to ensure that any food sold for human consumption is safe and that the animal's health would not be damaged in the process.
Each use would have to be approved separately, so a goat that made insulin in its milk would be one application. That same goat engineered to also be resistant to udder infections would be another.
It's expected that once a company creates an animal with the exact right genetic makeup, more animals would be made by cloning to preserve the genetics.
While the potential is huge, the actual number of groups working on animals like this is small, says Jaydee Hanson from the non-profit Center for Food Safety. "You're talking maybe five or so companies and 10 or so universities."
The FDA will take public comment until Nov. 18, then finalize the regulations. After more than seven years of discussion, the Food and Drug Administration Thursday proposed regulations that would allow the commerc... more -
Goats Groom LA (photos)
Photos from downtown Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, September 9, 2008.
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Goats released from prison
DR Congo's Deputy Justice Minister Claude Nyamugabo has ordered a Kinshasa jail to release a dozen goats, which he said they were being held there illegally. The animals were charged with being sold illegally by the roadside and were due to appear in court.
Mr Nyamugabo was conducting a routine visit to the prison when, he said, he was astonished to discover not only humans, but a herd of goats crammed into a prison cell in the capital. He stressed that many police had serious gaps in their knowledge and they would be sent for retraining.
It is not clear what will happen to their owners of the goats, who have also been imprisoned. There was no word on what their punishment would have been, had they been found guilty. DR Congo's Deputy Justice Minister Claude Nyamugabo has ordered a Kinshasa jail to release a dozen goats, which he said they were... more -
City passes on gas mowers, hires goats to clear grass
The Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency enlisted 100 goats to clear a 2.5-acre downtown lot yesterday, saying that the goats are cheaper and better for the environment than humans with weed-wackers, the LA Times reports.
The steep, weed-coated property temporarily turned to somewhat of a zoo, with downtown workers halting from their commute to gawk at the munching mountain goats. Subway riders snapped photos on their cell phones, capturing the stark contrast between the skyscrapers and the specialty-breed South African Boers. Being so close to Hollywood, many onlookers assumed the goats were part of a film set or public art installation.
George Gonzalez, goat-keeper and only paid member of the workforce, said the goats could be working on the field for up to 10 days. The Redevelopment Agency paid $3,000 to use the goats and said the cost for human workers would have been more than double. And obviously the goats don’t need lunch breaks.
The space will eventually be home to a third California Plaza skyscraper. There are no plans to use goats or any other animals later in the project, but hopefully the building process will find other ways to keep the environment in mind. The Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency enlisted 100 goats to clear a 2.5-acre downtown lot yesterday, saying that the goats ar... more -
LA Uses 100 Goats as Green Brush-Clearers
"The hills were alive with the sound of munching.
In fact, the only things that seemed missing Monday when a herd of goats climbed up a weed-choked lot in the Bunker Hill high-rise district were Julie Andrews and the Von Trapp family singers.
Leaders of the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency hired 100 goats to nibble away thick weeds on a steep slope at the corner of 4th and Hill streets, next to the Angels Flight funicular.
Agency officials said the goats were cheaper and more environmentally friendly than two-legged brush-clearers armed with gasoline-powered weed-whackers...
Some wondered whether the goats were part of a movie scene or some kind of performance art, while others made jokes about the approaching lunch hour and goat barbecue."
Full story at link...
I've seen people use goats as a substitute for lawn mowers in rural areas. Apparently, now even the largest cities are using them. "The hills were alive with the sound of munching. ... more -
Goat yells for his mom
He really only knows two words.
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How many goats are you worth?
Tool for finding out you goat-dowry. Apparently I'm worth eight goats, and someone's sister. I must be awesome.
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Dog and Goat Cause Trouble, Both Arrested!
CAPSHAW, Ala. - The goat was arrested, the Mercedes-Benz was assaulted and the dog came along for the ride.
It happened Sunday when a woman driving the Mercedes saw a goat and dog playing on U.S. 72 in northern Alabama, Sheriff Mike Blakely said.
She stopped, afraid they would get hit, Blakely said. But the goat jumped on the car and wouldn't come down. Fearing scratches and dents in her import's paint job, she called the Limestone County Sheriff's Department. A deputy got the goat down and put it in his patrol car, but then the dog jumped into his back seat too.
The deputy took the dog to a veterinarian and the goat to the home of another deputy.
"If anybody is missing a goat and dog, they need to let us know," Blakely said. CAPSHAW, Ala. - The goat was arrested, the Mercedes-Benz was assaulted and the dog came along for the ride. ... more -
Irish Town Honors His Goatness
In the town of Killorglin in County Kerry, the reins of power are handed to a wild billy goat once a year. It's an opportunity for the people to let out their inner beast -- and for tourists to party the night away, writes reader Desmond F. Kelly.
Read more... In the town of Killorglin in County Kerry, the reins of power are handed to a wild billy goat once a year. It's an opportunity fo... more -
Campaign Update 06/26/08
Barack Obama's menu, Congresional upheaval, and Ralph Nader's -- umm, interesting comments.
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Most Beautiful Goat
Ladies and gentlemen, The Most Beautiful Goat (according to the judges of the Mazayen al-Maaz competition in Riyadh). Give that thing five years, and I guarantee you his face is going to be bursting with Botox. Once a goat reaches 6, it’s all about the facial work… Ladies and gentlemen, The Most Beautiful Goat (according to the judges of the Mazayen al-Maaz competition in Riyadh). Give that thing ... more
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Eagle drags goat off cliff
Gasp!!! (What you will do when you see it).
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A Single Seed
DanTraveling
From Rural Hall, North Carolina.
We were passing through Kernersville, NC and saw this little white van with bold red letters and a phone number on the side.
It read "History Making Farming Author - On the move"
We had to find out what this meant and it led us to a farm in Rural Hall, NC to meet a wonderful storyteller on a mission. DanTraveling From Rural Hall, North Carolina. ... more -
2 Animals 1 Cup
Do you ever wake up in the morning and say to yourself “Man, I wish video footage existed of a goat walking a tightrope with a small monkey on his back.” Well, if you asked yourself this very morning, today is your lucky day!
But because you were in a mood for this type of video, you had to be all like “Okayyyy, but does that goat eventually balance his body on the edge of a bright red Solo cup while the monkey does a handstand on the goat’s head?” to which I bluntly reply “……DUH!”
Try your best to forget that these animals are probably horribly abused, and just enjoy yourself! To quote the Youtube commenter Ralphocop1: “My eyes just exploded!" Do you ever wake up in the morning and say to yourself “Man, I wish video footage existed of a goat walking a tightrope with a small m... more -
If People Can't Have Sex In Public, Neither Can Their Goats
A woman was issued two tickets for her goats' public bad behaviour in the small town of Dibble, Oklahoma: her goats were caught mating and relieving themselves on her own yard. Baaaaad goats. A woman was issued two tickets for her goats' public bad behaviour in the small town of Dibble, Oklahoma: her goats were caught m... more
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You Can't Milk Your Cat
Seattle legalized goats as pets last month largely under the banner of sustainability. The goats are required to be licensed just like a dog or cat and horns must be removed. Urban goat owners enjoy fresh milk and cheese daily. I can't wait to see a Prius with a goat in the back seat. Seattle legalized goats as pets last month largely under the banner of sustainability. The goats are required to be licensed just like... more
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Cubs fans taking losing to DBacks pretty hard... WTF?
Goat curse and all, this is just wrong...
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Airline sacrifices goats to appease sky god
Officials at Nepal's state-run airline have sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical problems with one of its Boeing 757 aircraft, the carrier said Tuesday. Officials at Nepal's state-run airline have sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical... more
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