A Serious Issue

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. It's very white here in Minnesota from all of the snow. But the roads are clear this morning and that means time to get back to normalicy and of course blogging!

I'd like to use today to discuss a serious issue that's been eating at me for a while. No, not going to discuss politics today - but I am going to ask the question that once in a lifetime, we all ask ourselves.....

Would I rather own a Goat or a Llama for a pet?

First I'll make the case for the Llama. Llamas are proud animals and they are so damn fun to watch. They are extremely intelligent, graceful, and carry themselves with elegance.

Llamas come from a family of four-footed animals called camelids, which also include alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos. They are thought to share a common ancestor with the camels and dromedaries of Africa and Asia.Llamas were first domesticated more than 5,000 years ago in the Peruvian highlands. Early South American cultures bred them for size and endurance. Alpacas were selected for their fine fibers, which could be woven into textiles.

One use for them is as a Guard Llama:

"Any place where a coyote could come in, people are starting to use llamas," said William Franklin, professor emeritus at Iowa State University. This method of protecting sheep seems to have a wide appeal as a non-lethal way to ward off predators. "It makes the wildlife biologists happy because it's a balance of nature," he said.

Llamas, however, may be easier to care for than some other four-footed farm animals. Harry Mollin, who raises llamas at Shangrila Farm in Callaway, Virginia, said that llamas are much more efficient in terms of feeding than other livestock. Llama droppings can also be used as high-quality compost, he said.

Llamas are also instinctively quiet and gentle with the weak or handicapped. They do not react negaively to cumbersome movements or unusual noises.

So here is my list of situations where I would like to have a llama:

* Taking to the park and playing catch with him

* Give him a leash and walk him down by Silver Lake

* Giving rides to my nephews or other little kids

* Giving rides to me when I need entertainment and don't feel like going to work

* Training to come pick me up at the bar late at night and carrying me home (Pitzen, you should look into this, it'd speed up that walk home from Honkies)

Multimedia links for Llamas:

A bunch of Studs

Llamas Fighting

Llama Llama Duck - The most addictive song about Llamas EVER!!

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Now the case for the Goat.

The goat is one of the smallest domesticated ruminants which has served mankind earlier and longer than cattle and sheep. It is managed for the production of milk, meat and wool, particularly in arid, semitropical or mountainous countries. In temperate zones, goats are kept often rather as supplementary animals by small holders, while commercially cows or buffaloes are kept for milk, cheese and meat, and sheep for wool and meat production.

Goats can survive on bushes, trees, desert scrub and aromatic herbs when sheep and cattle would starve to death. If you find the right Goat, it can survive on leftovers, dry roman noodles, and anything else that I would normally throw away.

Per one webpage: There are three main uses for goats and their products: milk, meat, and wool. I like to think there's a fourth use though.... ENTERTAINMENT! Goats are good for keeping the grass mowed (saves on fuel and yard supplies). Goats are good for keeping the neighbors up since their dog keeps me up all night! And if you're one of the lucky ones.... you can get yourself a FAINTING GOAT!!!

Fainting goats are a slightly smaller version of the standard goat, who, believe it or not, thanks to a genetic condition called myotonia congenita, actually seem to faint when they are startled. As strange as this may sound, these little critters have actually served an historical purpose. Shepherds often kept the goats in with their flocks as insurance in case of predator attacks. The theory went something like this- as wolves would come down from the hills to attack a flock of sheep, the goats would become startled and, as per the name of their breed, they would faint. The sheep would make a clean getaway, as the wolves would focus on the stunned goats rather than pursue the fleeing sheep. Not that wonderful if you were one of the goats, sure, but downright dandy if you happened to be a sheep.

Situations where I'd like to have a Goat:

* Fun at house parties. Eat all the leftover junk before morning so makes clean up easier.

* Nephews are still at the young age where they could ride a goat.

* Yard maintenance and general neighbor annoyment

Multimedia Links for Goats:

Fainting Goats - would you get any other kind?

More Fainting Goat videos

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So with that in mind, I need to get a general idea of what you think out there...... in my first ever interactive poll!!

Which would you rather own?
	Llama
	Goat
Free polls from Pollhost.com

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!