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Learning Center Articles Articles on Amber Waves Couple loves pygmy goats: Norco: The Hosleys run Amber Waves, a ranch that is home to 27 of the West African animals.
Learning Center Articles Articles on Amber Waves Couple loves pygmy goats: Norco: The Hosleys run Amber Waves, a ranch that is home to 27 of the West African animals.
| Couple loves pygmy goats: Norco: The Hosleys run Amber Waves, a ranch that is home to 27 of the West African animals. |
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Couple loves pygmy goats: NORCO: The Hosleys run Amber Waves, a ranch that is home to 27 of the West African animals.August 12, 2003NORCO Scorpion King, Enemy of the State, Collateral Damage. These aren't just titles of big-budget blockbuster movies; they are the names of Jim and Debbie Hosley's goats that are anything but big. "I like to name them after movies," said Debbie Hosley, 52. "I pick up new release listings and pick the names that catch my fancy." Amber Waves The Norco couple run Amber Waves, a pygmy goat ranch that is home to 27 of the native West African animals. The Hosleys breed, raise, show and sell the diminutive goats on their one-acre property on Mountain Avenue. "We started in 1974," said Jim Hosley, 63. "When we got married, she came with goats and horses." The couple also raised Arabian horses and Yorkshire Terriers but stopped to focus on the pygmy goat. "It's hard to do justice to more than one species," Debbie Hosley said. She remembers the exact moment she fell in love with the pygmy goat. "I was at the Chino swap meet and somebody had one there and it lead to this," she said, referring to the many goats on her ranch. "They are just so cute and I'd go out with one and then come back with another. They're contagious." Good-natured pygmy goats The Hosleys describe the shaggy animals as good-natured and playful. "They've got great personalities," she said. "They're easy to handle and maintain. They're very tame. Some people have even house-trained them." Pygmy goats are similar to dairy goats but have short legs and a smaller head. They weigh approximately 40 to 60 pounds and are generally 15 to 22 inches tall. Their life span is anywhere from 10 to 18 years depending on care. Goats need protection from the elements and should live in a shed with an elevated sleeping area and an attached and fenced pen. They are very sociable and enjoy living with other goats, according to the Hosleys. Goats dine on a basic diet of roughage, which includes legume and grass hay, bark, brush and dry leaves plus a mixture of oats, corn and barley. The couple said the pint-sized animals make good pets, but they do not sell them as such. "We only sell to breeders and people who want a goat to show," Jim Hosley said. "They sell for $500 and up so we find that people don't want to spend that much money for just a pet." Their goats are shipped all over the country and into Canada. "We ship them in dog crates by air cargo," he said. "The shipping is controlled by heat or cold, but if the temperature is right, we can ship all year long." The Hosleys participate in numerous shows throughout the year displaying their animals. "We go to four big fairs a year and a number of miscellaneous shows," Jim Hosley said. "The goats are judged similar to a dog, based on breeding standards." Their goats have earned numerous awards and in 2002, they won 49 champion titles in 12 shows. Debbie Hosley said the wins are proof of her animals' high quality. "Each month I do extensive weighing of the goats, compiling folders of information about them," she said. "Others don't do that. We're one of that last (type of) breeders in Southern California. It's rare. Most people down here do it more as a hobby." Jim Hosley said he and his wife plan on raising the miniature mammal for many years to come. "It's our work and it's a business, but we really like doing it," he said with a smile. "I'm not going to stop until they plant me in the back yard."Art: PHOTO Caption: KARON HORTA THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE Jim and Debbie Hosley of Norco show off one of their pygmy goats. Jim Hosley said he and Debbie started raising the goats in 1974. "When we got married, she came with goats and horses," he said.Zone: CORONA-NORCO
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