• PHOTO: Nick Buckley with a low maintenance pet that is just a bit cute.
IT’s a sunny Monday afternoon in July and I’m at Buckaroo Mini Goat Stud. As I follow seventeen year old Nick Buckley across a large yard on the outskirts of east Coonamble.
I have a smile on my face and flutters of excitement in my belly, because I can hear the tiny little bleats coming from the pen that we’re walking towards.
Nick Buckley is a busy young man. He is studying year 12 at Coonamble High School, he works 4-5 days a week at Kahn’s IGA and in his down time he dotes on and manages his mini goat stud. At present Nick and his herd are working hard caring for 24 new kids, 13 females and 11 males.
Most of his goats are good mums, but with many twins and triplets born, he is bottle feeding some of the kids.
This is a labor of love for Nick and as we watch a couple of kids leap and bound across the yard he says “I love it when there are a few born together like this. It’s so cute watching them play together”.
The whole enterprise started with two pet goats and an accidental pregnancy.
Having cut his animal husbandry teeth in the competitive world of poultry, where he has successfully bred and shown birds for a number of years, he soon became interested in purposeful breeding.
Nick tried out a number of breeds and decided on miniature goats as his animal of choice. “They’re an easy breed to keep, low maintenance, they don’t eat everything, they eat hay and some grain as a treat. I find them easier to keep than dogs” he says.
“They have unique personalities, Wanita knows her name. She comes when she’s called. Stevie is my main buck. He’s wearing an apron at the moment to stop him getting the girls pregnant. It looks funny, but it works”.
Each of them have carefully selected names that match their personalities and appearance. He keeps a list of potential names that he hears and likes. Araminta, Myrtle Snow, Odeya and Jedda to name a few.
“I breed for colour and body structure” he says. “Small size, straight back, sturdy body. All of them have registration papers. There aren’t so many in NSW. Most of my herd come from Queensland and South Australia. I really enjoy new people I meet through my goat breeding.”
He shows me the herd in the far paddock.
They are sharing their space with two alpacas and two sheep.
As we turn to head back to the house, there are a pair of kids who have come through the fence trotting at his heels. Nick says that he’ll “be come back out soon and bring them all in for the night.”
However, as we glance back we realize there’s no need. They’ve managed to open the gate and the whole tribe are meandering along, following us along the trail home.
It’s obvious that the goats love Nick as much as Nick loves them.
It would seem that Nick’s micro business breeding mini goats has the potential to grow significantly as he raises this bumper season of babies.
So if you’re on the lookout for a low maintenance pet, that oozes cuteness and personality, keep an eye on the Buckaroo Mini Goat Stud.
By SARAH RODGERS