Brush killer?

   / Brush killer? #23  
WE have two goats and two sheep on two acres of pasture so steep we cannot mow it. It took one season for these animals to clean up the brush. These amazing animals need good fencing against predators (we use electrified net fence) , a run in shelter and water. Goats seem to hate rain, or at least mine do. The total costs of feeding them over the winter is,I tell my wife, about one payment on a slope tractor like a Steiner or Ventrac ($200 or so for a long Maryland winter) . Castrated males are cheap to buy and usually very gentle. Don't get a billy, they stink and can be agressive. You do have to check over your fields because some plants are very dangerous to them. Wild Cherry trees come to mind, but there are other dangerous plants too.

Also, goats graze up, like deer. They like to climb for woody browse and will eat the leaves off spiny plants like Mile a Minute, a newer scourge around here. Sheep graze grasses and low growing forbs. They are a perfect combination. We run chickens in with them to scatter fecal material, and control ticks and other insects.

Hopefully helpful.
 
   / Brush killer? #24  
WE have two goats and two sheep on two acres of pasture so steep we cannot mow it. It took one season for these animals to clean up the brush. These amazing animals need good fencing against predators (we use electrified net fence) , a run in shelter and water. Goats seem to hate rain, or at least mine do. The total costs of feeding them over the winter is,I tell my wife, about one payment on a slope tractor like a Steiner or Ventrac ($200 or so for a long Maryland winter) . Castrated males are cheap to buy and usually very gentle. Don't get a billy, they stink and can be agressive. You do have to check over your fields because some plants are very dangerous to them. Wild Cherry trees come to mind, but there are other dangerous plants too.

Also, goats graze up, like deer. They like to climb for woody browse and will eat the leaves off spiny plants like Mile a Minute, a newer scourge around here. Sheep graze grasses and low growing forbs. They are a perfect combination. We run chickens in with them to scatter fecal material, and control ticks and other insects.

Hopefully helpful.

Sounds like a perfect combination, like you said if you keep the predators away. How do the chickens do with the electric net fence? Or is up higher?
 
   / Brush killer? #25  
I've used Crossroad to keep our property's brush under control. Before it was out, I had used the Crossbow and they each work great. No harm to the bermuda or tall grass fescue areas at all. The botanical properties of grass prevents them from being harmed by the selective herbicide. Keeps the brush at bay for 2-3 years with a double application in a season. It practically melts the Sumac we have and poison ivy and briars are yellowed within 2-3 weeks and dead within 5-6 weeks. It sprays white so you can see the foliage and the milky residue to get an idea of where youve been.

I also just purchased some fainting goats for the same area. They went right to work eating the briars and poison ivy first thing. I was shocked. By the time you add fencing, animals, feed, water, protector, etc it gets expensive quickly. However the environmental benefit is worthwhile in the end. It just depends on short term/long term goals.

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