Greatness of goats glorified

VISITING the Burren, in Co Clare, is always a refreshing experience that usually throws up delightful little cameos.

We had been hearing for a long time about the diminishing wild goat population in the area and, during a recent walking trip, did not see many goats.

However, while doing the Caher Valley Loop, there was an unexpected sighting of a splendid white-haired female and her kid, resting contently together in a tiny stonewalled field. They didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest by human intrusion and just stared without blinking a beady eye.

Goats are believed to have arrived in Ireland about 4,000 years ago and are truly part of the Burren landscape where they perform a useful role in keeping down scrub.

Estimates of the Burren goat population have ranged wildly from 1,000 to 10,000, but a 2009 census counted less than 1,000 in 16 herds in the eastern side of the region.

The goats are seen as a nuisance by some farmers: roaming herds can knock stones off walls and move onto lowland holdings, damaging pasture and grazing lands meant for cattle and sheep. So, it comes back to the old story — the future of the Burren goats depends on striking a balance between their needs and those of local farmers to ensure all can live in neighbourly harmony. Something not always easy to achieve.

The hope now is with a proper plan, the Burren goats, and especially the few remaining Old Irish goats, whose survival is under threat, can be there for future generations to enjoy. Some of the best Old Irish goats have been selected, with the assistance of British expert Raymond Werner, and put into a purpose-built holding so as to create a robust gene pool. In this way, breeding can be studied closely and a conservation plan monitored to ensure the ‘old’ continue.

According to studies in recent years, the Old Irish goat is rapidly disappearing from the Burren and experts believe most of those seen today are crossbreeds. Apart from protecting its genetic integrity and heritage value, other reasons for conserving the native breed are that it is believed to be better than other goats at scrub removal, is more disease- resistant, has better survival instincts in the harsh landscape and causes less trouble to farmers. All positive traits surely.

Agreement with the farming community is essential for a management plan to work. Ideally, that would include having a controlled population, with enough food and kidding areas, for instance, while ensuring no damage to farmland, or the grazing of food intended for other animals.