lutt
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I beleive there is a lot of truth to that! LUTT
?? About goats
- Thread starter JDRandyC
- Start date
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weldingisfun
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Sheep will not eat the roughage you said you want to clean up. Goats will. We have been raising them for 15 years and if you give them a reason to stay on the property, they won't leave. Byrd said it all, if water gets through your fence, goats will too. Just be sure they have all they need on your side of the fence and they will stay, i.e., food, clean water and shelter. Go to a local breeder and find some goats that are people friendly. Nothing harder to work with, or around, than a skittish goat. Four or five will work for you and get either all does or all wethers, no bucks. They breed like rabbits.
There is a lot of truth. I had a goat that would jump up do a high kick off the barn go over the fence. I had to spend more time than he was worth waiting to catching him.
lutt
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I would like to see that. That's funny ! LUTT
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Are all goats escape artists? What about pygmy goats?
Eddie
Eddie
jwstewar
Elite Member
Eddie there is a saying in the goat world. Build your fence as tall and as strong as you can. Then stand back and throw a bucket of water at it. That is where the goat will get out 
We have Boers, Alpines, LaManchas, and a Nubian all for production. We then have a Pygmy as a pet. She is the most determined and stubborn of all of ours. You can't keep her in anything or out of anything. Though they are all smart. Several of ours have learned how to open the latches on our stalls. The Pygmy can't just because she isn't tall enough.
We have Boers, Alpines, LaManchas, and a Nubian all for production. We then have a Pygmy as a pet. She is the most determined and stubborn of all of ours. You can't keep her in anything or out of anything. Though they are all smart. Several of ours have learned how to open the latches on our stalls. The Pygmy can't just because she isn't tall enough.
Marveltone
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We have 9 goats in our pasture at the moment. I constructed a high-tensile electric fence, 5 ft high, 6 strands, with the bottom strand 6" off the ground, with 6"-6"-6"-12"-16"-16" spacing from the bottom up. I put it up late last summer, and so far, everyone stays on the proper side of the fence... But then, they have plenty of food! I believe the two most important factors are: don't give them a reason to want to get out (don't overgraze), and don't skimp on your electric fence charger! I think that's the biggest mistake people make. They get a cheap, weak charger and wonder why their livestock gets out. A good, strong, firm shock will make them respect the fence.
As far as eating brush goes, it doesn't really matter what breed of goat you get. They're all browsers and they'll slowly but steadily clean up an old, neglected pasture. Ours are a pygmy-mixed with... who knows? But they're doing their jobs while providing constant entertainment.
Joe
As far as eating brush goes, it doesn't really matter what breed of goat you get. They're all browsers and they'll slowly but steadily clean up an old, neglected pasture. Ours are a pygmy-mixed with... who knows? But they're doing their jobs while providing constant entertainment.
Joe
QueBota
Gold Member
I'll second that, stick with female goats. Male goats are generally more trouble to keep and develop a unique odor during the fall and winter. If you get close enough the odor will get on you and stay with you, some folks find it more objectionable than others and certain male goats spray their forelegs and beards more than others.
I had one particularly ornry billy that would start attacking the barn in his pen as soon as it was finished, wouldn't take him long to do a job on it. I eventually built one out of scrap steel and metal. First time he reared up, charged and rammed the metal structure, priceless, he just about knocked himself out. Never rammed it again.
Also I like to keep the horns on my goats, work great as "handles" when working with the goats, just have to be mindful of them.
Q
I had one particularly ornry billy that would start attacking the barn in his pen as soon as it was finished, wouldn't take him long to do a job on it. I eventually built one out of scrap steel and metal. First time he reared up, charged and rammed the metal structure, priceless, he just about knocked himself out. Never rammed it again.
Also I like to keep the horns on my goats, work great as "handles" when working with the goats, just have to be mindful of them.
Q
OldMcDonald
Platinum Member
weldingisfun, You have some really nice looking stock there. I liked the "then and now" page. Did you know that the clickable links to the classifications give a "not found" message? I was interested in reading them.
I noted your problem with stray dogs. It is essential to house all small livestock at night here for that reason. I always give a minimum quarter pound of hard feed when housing. That way they know to come towards their shed as it gets late in the day.
I too like horns on goats. When we bought our first Portuguese goats (previously had pedigree Angoras in Australia) we bought a polled buck and a dozen does. We had a few hermaphrodite problems. I eventually found some research that indicated it does not happen if one parent is horned. I do not know if that is correct, but after buying a horned buck we had no more trouble.
I have seen exactly what ozley (#14) describes on a few occasions, and on non-e軻ctroc fencing seen goats put front feet high on a wire then back feet as high as they can manage and lift themselves over the top from that position. I have never had goats go through a fence, rarely under, but frequently over.
I noted your problem with stray dogs. It is essential to house all small livestock at night here for that reason. I always give a minimum quarter pound of hard feed when housing. That way they know to come towards their shed as it gets late in the day.
I too like horns on goats. When we bought our first Portuguese goats (previously had pedigree Angoras in Australia) we bought a polled buck and a dozen does. We had a few hermaphrodite problems. I eventually found some research that indicated it does not happen if one parent is horned. I do not know if that is correct, but after buying a horned buck we had no more trouble.
I have seen exactly what ozley (#14) describes on a few occasions, and on non-e軻ctroc fencing seen goats put front feet high on a wire then back feet as high as they can manage and lift themselves over the top from that position. I have never had goats go through a fence, rarely under, but frequently over.
