Goat rearing a rewarding way of life
Couple run 50 goats on Whananaki farm
If there’s one thing that worries Royce Broome it’s seeing a lone goat tethered to a rope on the roadside. Though quietly spoken, the retired shepherd isn’t shy about spreading some animal welfare knowledge he’s learned over his lifetime.
He and his wife, Stephanie, will often seek out the owners and offer them a bit of friendly advice.
“Every time I look at an animal tied up anywhere, I automatically think, have they got water and shelter, are they too close to cars . . . a lot is just ignorance on their part. We’ll give them a few more clues on shelter or ask them to secure the bucket of water so it doesn’t get tipped over. It’s all about their safety. If people are buying a goat, there are so many things to consider.”
There are also many things to consider when visiting this Northland couple who have dedicated their retirement years to a tribe of goats.
■ Don’t put your hand through an electric fence to pat the cute baby goats.
■ Don’t be surprised when they jump up to greet you as a dog would.
■ Don’t wear good clothes because goats like to nibble on shirts, skirts and handbags.
The Broomes live and breathe goats. They have 50 of them grazing on their 7ha farm called Broomehill Goats in Whananaki. Most are dairy goats and their kids, and there are several males, used for breeding.
The couple are at their modest milking shed every morning, milking and feeding the does, checking on the bucks, and bottle feeding the kids who afterwards merrily vault over logs, planks and tractor tyres set up in their paddock like a playground.
Later the couple will get stuck into some paperwork which includes organising events for the Far North Goat
Club they recently revived after it lay dormant for a decade.
With 10 members in the Whangarei and surrounding areas, and members in Kaikohe and Waipu, the club is going great guns.
Royce and Stephanie helped bring goat showing back to the Whangarei
A&P show, where 50 entries turned out in December.
The aim of the club is “to support people with goats” along with improving their animal welfare through educational social events.
“There’s a lot of pet goats out there. The club is as interested in pet goats
as pure breed registered stock,” said Royce, who is club president.
“A lot of people don’t know how to trim their hooves or how to drench for worms. Or how to help them overcome bad habits or contain them with fencing or how much food they get.”