I have to back up a little here. We get very regular deliveries of chickens from local farmers. Occasionally people will bring "goodies." These goodies can consist of anything from deer to goats. We are strict on the policy that we do not accept full-sized cows due to Mad Cow Disease (but calves are a-OK) or horses (it is difficult to know all the drugs that horses have been dosed with. There are some types of drugs that horses have been dosed with that they are fine with, but could potentially sicken our animals), but we will accept almost anything else.
Monday, a truck arrived carrying two freshly dead goats. The goats had outgrown their use to the farmer and had been humanely killed that morning. We were responsible for harvesting the meat while they were still fresh, and ensuring that it was done correctly. The goats were so fresh that they were still warm - eughhh! The keeper, Megan, showed us how to cut off each leg without having to saw through bone (surprisingly easy), then we removed the organs of the goats and saved the ribcages. The process was long and disgusting (I gagged a couple of times), but it was worth it to see the carnivores enjoying the ribcage and legs.
One lion in particular, Matthai, got the special treat of having the ribcage of the larger goat all to himself. I was sent to place the ribcage in the habitat, then the keeper let him out. It was great watching him walk up to it, pick it up, and then roll over, rub his face in the meat, then start chewing on it. You could practically tell that he was saying, "Ah! This is the life!"
Unfortunately, because it took so long to cut up the goats, we finally got to sit down for lunch at almost 2:30! To say that we were starving is an understatement. I think I could have eaten an entire goat, I was so hungry.
Goats ahoy!
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