Goats for a clean pond?

[marhar]

I am looking to build a pond. The back side of the pond will be shallow and cover a large grassed in area. All of that said. I want to keep the edge of the pond clean.

Has anyone ever used this method?
What are the downsides to using goats to keep the edges of a pond clean

 

[MossRoad]

...
What are the downsides to using goats to keep the edges of a pond clean

If you never want to swim in that pond... probably not much. But livestock runoff into a pond can have some serious health issues for human immersion.

 

[grsthegreat]

If you are using a rubber liner, i know animals can punch holes in them with feet. Not sure if goats are heavy enough to do this though. Deer and elk play havoc with them in my neck of the woods.

 

[bigtiller]

E-coli bacteria is some bad stuff.

 

[big bubba]

how will you contain the goats?

 

[john10]

I am looking to build a pond. The back side of the pond will be shallow and cover a large grassed in area. All of that said. I want to keep the edge of the pond clean.

Has anyone ever used this method?
What are the downsides to using goats to keep the edges of a pond clean

I have not used goats but have used horses and cattle too keep the edges of my 3 acre pond clean and they work very well as long as you do not over stock the area. My area 2 or 3 acres per large animal and you will have less bacteria than most pools. Depending on the fish you stock your pond with you will need to keep a eye on the water ph. level using test strips. The only downsides to using goats is they are hard to keep in a fence.

 

[big bubba]

large hoofed animals are what stock ponds are designed for. however their presence will basically destroy a landscaped pond. i just use a 36" walk behind zero turn that works great on the dams (3) OP: good luck, wise to do homework in this forum.

deer & feral hogs (regrettably) are the largest animals around the ponds. cattle & horses would quickly destroy this one. OP:do you plan to landscape pond margins? if so, goats would make quick work of it. best of luck
btw a rogue beaver got both of the Japanese maples, but he is no longer drawing breath.

 

[MossRoad]

....
btw a rogue beaver got both of the Japanese maples, but he is no longer drawing breath.

Probably allergies....

 

[big bubba]

not sure what you mean, aspen/poplars are top of menu for beavers, after this one did 4 or 5, he started on the maples. i'm on a mt top, 1st one i've encountered, but my place is very wet natured & finally put a bounty on his pelt to my neighbor who took him out.

 

[HippieFarmer]

If it's grass that you want groomed, sheep will work better than goats. Goats will eat grass but it's not in their top 10.

 

[Hoho223]

You don’t have enough mosquito breeding areas around you?

 

[Pinecrest]

We had two fenced water retention areas at my plant about 2 acres each.
We put 2 goats in each area and it took them only about two months to eat everything they could reach. Then winter came and we had to feed them all winter + you need some supplemental food to keep them healthy. After the third year we had a Bar B Q ....they did a good job.

 

[Snezzy]

If it's grass that you want groomed, sheep will work better than goats. Goats will eat grass but it's not in their top 10.

Look at paintings of beautifully landscaped areas from back in the 17th and 18th centuries. Ask yourself how they got their lawnmowers in there from the 20th century. Then remember sheep.

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[miscjames]

Keeping them fenced in and predators will be your big issue. A great pyrenees will solve most predator problem but they like a companion dog, if you dont want two of them. And they bark at everything but they make great herding/watch dogs. You could also go donkey or lama but they are not my cup of tea. Design your area with a two pasture system that you leave open most of the year. One with pond access one without. When August roles around close off the pen without pond access and let it grow up to be a jungle. Then when winter comes move them to that pen this does two things, it keeps them off the water edge during winter and helps offset the hay cost during winter. I used hog panels with hot wire as i am using them to clean hill sides that would be almost impossible to stretch wire across. Start with a small pen for a few months at first to get them to realize your place is home. Like a 20x20 and pellet /hay them. I cannot stress this enough. That way when (not if) they get out they dont run off. (Ask me how i know). And they will come to feed. Also if you have kids, design a two gate system to get into the pen (one gate is always closed) they will slip by you fast). And just electric is not enough you need a solid fence. They will walk right through just electric.

 

[HippieFarmer]

After the third year we had a Bar B Q ....they did a good job.

They taste much better if you don't name them.

 

[kenhar]

The main thing with pond levy maintenance, (keeping it from growing up) is don't make it too steep. Feather it out into the field so a riding lawn mower can cut the grass if necessary. Most livestock will avoid steep banks.

 

[eKretz]

not sure what you mean, aspen/poplars are top of menu for beavers, after this one did 4 or 5, he started on the maples. i'm on a mt top, 1st one i've encountered, but my place is very wet natured & finally put a bounty on his pelt to my neighbor who took him out.

Pretty sure he was referring to the beaver being allergic to lead...

 

[Snezzy]

"And just electric is not enough you need a solid fence. They will walk right through just electric."

To test a fence for goat-proofiness, toss a bucket of water at it. If the water goes through, so will the goats. Goats will catch their horns in 4x6 galvanized panel. You'll need 4x4. If a kid gets out and you toss him back over the fence he'll realize that GOATS CAN FLY! He'll teach the others. Instead, put him in through the gate.

 

[TugHillDog]

After the third year we had a Bar B Q ....they did a good job.

HippieFarmer:
They taste much better if you don't name them.

Might I humbly suggest that naming them appropriately can set the stage of expectation: BBQ, BackStrap, Burger, Osso Buco...Buco, for short.

When my son started his chickens, I told him to teach the kids their table names: dipping flavors for nuggets!

 

[TugHillDog]

Pretty sure he was referring to the beaver being allergic to lead...

All old time mariners will tell you that regardless of the watercraft, if there is a hole in the hull, it will fill with water and sink.