# How do you transport goats?



## Nupine (Nov 2, 2007)

Unless we are taking more than a few somewhere, we use our van. It is a full size van, and we lay a canvas tarp on the floor, and it is easy for someone in the back seat just to hold onto up to 3 goats. This wouldn't work for a cross-country trip, but we have went on a 2 1/2 hour drive, there and back like this. Our only trailer is a huge, rather heavy 3 horse trailer with large dressing area, and it is too big of a pain to use it for 1-2 goats. We have a truck, and have considered buying a Goat Gopher, or building one, but I have a few questions about them. Can two people easily lift one on to the back of a track? How many goats can fit in one [comfortably]? How safe are they? Since they are really open, do goats catch a chill? Also, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't exactly enjoy riding in the back of a pickup going 60 mph on the highway, so are the goats pretty content with it? Thanks.
Ashlyn


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## laughter777 (Jun 16, 2008)

Sorry no help, as I haven't had to transport many goats at a time, max was 3 full size does to be bred. I have an S10 pickup that has a topper on it and they fit nicely. Granted I keep a LARGE bag with a tent and sleeping bags etc in it and a toolbox at the front of the bed (near the cab) so they didn't get the whole bed, could probably haul a few more with nothing in the bed.

Sorry not much help


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## Faithful Crown Nubians (Dec 5, 2007)

If it's a young kid, in a cage or on my lap.
Adult goat, in the back of the truck or in the trailer.


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## wheytogosaanens (Oct 26, 2007)

We love our Goat Gopher. We have transported 5 Boer Wethers, about 100 lbs each, in there with no difficulty.

It comes with a nylon cover, which is good for rain protection and helps cut the wind. Two people can lift it into the bed of a pickup. Love the sliding gate. Push it up next to the cab for more wind resistance. If it is cold or really nasty, we just put the canopy on my DH Truck.... And I have to admit, my milkers always get the canopy or the trailer - precious cargo and all that! (DH gladly does that rather than having me fret about the milkers and their comfort the whole time.  )


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## Nupine (Nov 2, 2007)

How do you get them into the Goat Gopher? A ramp?


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

Most goats are pretty good at jumping up into the back of a pickup...we use a homeade wooden crate. We back up to a rise in the ground to make it less of a jump. I've never had much trouble getting them up...if they are too small to jump they are usually lift-able yet. Worst comes to worst you can lift the front legs up and then either lift the back end or pull up on their tails and they jump in.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

I have one hubby built that folds so I can put it in myself we tarp it for travel and it fits our sm Dodge Dakota pickup or in my van it is 4 ft x 5 ft and I have hauled 5 to 6 MM or 3 large does and one 1yearling in it. 3 max on a long haul with full sized does. It is made out of the 4x4 panels with 1 in sq tubing on the edges which he drilled holes in to match the 2x4 wires sticking out and then welded in the holes. Of course this could be alot bigger with a bigger truck.


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## Nancy (Oct 25, 2007)

We usually use a van, but we have an old 16 passenger church van we took the seats out of. Actually quite a bit of room. for state fair we took 11 milkers, 3 yearlings and 6 7-8 month old kids. When we went to get our buck we borrowed a cage a friend of ours made out of cattle panels. It was only panels put together with a cattle panel top. We tarped it then just used straps to tie it down. It was really light weight and worked well.


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

I built one out of cattle panels and cable clamps with lock nuts. You have to wrap the sharp points with duct tape good and tight and put a heavy duty (silver) tarp over it except for the "door" to keep out the air. They don't like the air blowing on them in transport and it could make them sick. I is light weight and I can put it in and out of the truck by myself. I like it better than the one I bought because mine has cattle panel on the bottom. It is a full cage not open on the bottom.


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## Nupine (Nov 2, 2007)

Thanks everyone. I love the church van idea! We have a friend that is willing to build us a goat gopher, but I am not sure if it would be a better idea to buy one.


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 15, 2008)

I have a "livestock rack", that is what I grew up calling them, that my great great uncle made for my grandfather about 60 Years ago, it could use a little paint but it is VERY solidily built. My husband and I can load it easily and it is special, as I was my grandpa's little helper. However we do not have a truck right now have used it in a borrowed truck I do want to figure out a way to cover at least the top and front. Got an estimate on having a custom canvas topper made for it but it was $$$ even with me supplying the canvas. Have actually thought about grommets and zip ties with the canvas I have but would hate it if it did not work so still thinking. Now if the bank will just get the paperwork done for the repo truck we have been waiting for since early April!!


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## billinohio (Jun 24, 2009)

I made a simple "carrier" out of livestock panels that I use in the bed of my S-10. I covered it with a tarp. At first I used a lightweight tarp. It did not last too long. I have ugraded the tarps twice now, and this heavier one seems to be holding up nicely.
I found that going down the highway at 65 mph causes the top of the tarp to "whip" up and down against the cattle pain, and made for a short life for the tarp. I put a thin sheet of plywood over the tarp on top before I strap it down with "rachet straps." That seems to work very well at extending the life of the tarp.
I think that I have had 3 adult goats at a time.......and I have done several 5 hour trips.


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## Jo~* (Oct 26, 2007)

I use a cargo trailer that has sliding window on side and air vents on two sides and top. It was made for miniature horses.


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## pokyone42 (Oct 26, 2007)

we use a pick-up truck with a cap... for the bigger goats we cannot lift, we put a bale of hay by the tailgate for them to jump on, and then into the truck....works well for us. (grain-bribe helps)


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

Mine ride in the back of my Subaru wagon. I folded the back seat down and put one of those dog barriers behind my front seats. I can haul 1-3 adults depending on size or about 6 older kids. I also have a metal stock rack that fits in a full size truck, but that's not good for winter because it doesn't provide protection from the elements.


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## nehimama (Oct 30, 2009)

Good idea for the plywood on top of the tarp, BillinOhio! I also made my own stock rack for my S10 out of cattle panels. It's lightweight and I can put it on the truck by myself. I also have a wooden ramp which helps in getting the goats loaded. Often, though, if it's just a few kids or a doe or two, I load 'em in the cargo area of my minivan.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

I have a thing similar what Nancy described, but my favorite way is taking the back seat out of the minivan. It hold two or three big goats and is great for short trips to the vet and such.


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## Nancy (Oct 25, 2007)

Btw if you use a van don't use a cattle panel as a divider. We lost 2 dz donuts and several bags of chips that way. :biggrin We now have a wood one but the top is open so we can look in the back. Works great if we have to haul the boys because we can tie them to it.
Nancy


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## SANDQ (Dec 27, 2011)

I might go and buy some goats from the other side of Bulgaria probably a 5 hr drive. I have the use of a ford transit van, which will be big enough for the amount of animals I want to transport 4/5 adults. My question is do I just load the animals and drive or should they be secured in any way, they will be riding on the metal floor of the enclosed van do I need to put any thing on this floor for the benefit of the animals or for the benefit of the owner?


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## swgoats (May 21, 2010)

The goats will most likely lay down. It's just a matter of if you feel the floor needs protecting or not. Be prepared for them to try eating what you put down. If you use something non-edible like plastic, you'll have to be prepared to pull it up if it doesn't work out. You just never know with goats. . Make sure there is some barrier between you and them and that they have ventilation.


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## jdavenport (Jul 19, 2012)

I don't tie up my girls when they ride, but I have picked up an old piece of carpet out of the dumpster behind the carpet shop, removed any staples, etc and put that on the floor, just to give them a little traction.
Make sure they can't ride in your lap, because that is their preferred method of travel


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## skeeter (Aug 11, 2010)

I have a dedicated goat trailer. it has a cover for bad weather.


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