sheeps, goats, or pigs?

OK, but what are you wanting from the animals? Also, what are you willing to give of yourself? Lastly, what sort of behavior traits are you willing to deal with?

Pigs, I don't know much about except that they provide meat, smell really bad to me, will eat up lots of milk (a plus if you have excess milk), will sometimes eat their own young, and can be a danger to smalll children.

Sheep: are for wool or meat, and if you grow them for meat it helps if you enjoy eating lamb or mutton. I happen to like lamb a lot, not everyone does. Sheep smell like sheep, which means, "badly" to some people. Male sheep are dangerous and unpredictable, intact or not, in my experience. I think they also die more easily than goats do, again, my perspective and experience, maybe not fact. If you don't want to shear them and use the wool, might as well just get Barbados sheep. Most sheep I have encountered weren't very bright and didn't have much personality, which I guess would be consoling if you have to butcher them.

Goats have more personality and are fairly intelligent, like dogs. They're also naughty and infuriating creatures that you'll be very unhappy with if you don't love them!!

Dairy goats- are labor intensive and require milking 2x a day for months out of the year. In exchange for this, you get meat and milk (and cheese, yogurt, etc). They require good fencing, such as cattle panels.

Meat goats: (Spanish or Boers) are just meat. Not too much labor investment here, but be sure that you enjoy eating goat meat!

Angora/Cashmere: No milking, and you get both fiber and meat. Angoras are not as mischevious as the dairy breeds.

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Sheep... ok, not to upset the sheep people, but I'd put them at the bottom of the list. They're less hardy then goats. They're difficult birthers. They're dumb. And their products don't sell all that well without some serious effort. Wool is pretty much a losing proposition, unless you spin and can do some kind of value-added operation. The spring lambs could make a little money, if you're lucky. But I personally don't want to sleep in the barn during February lambing season.
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We've found sheep to be much hardier than goats. We raised goats (boer, spanish, pygmys and a few milkers) for several years, and the goats always needed more worming, more hoof care and more attention during kidding season. Goats are much more trouble to keep in, and to keep OUT of stuff. Like my roses, lol. DH says a goat can smell a rose bush 5 miles away. Yeah, sheep are dumb and we like 'em that way
An added plus for us is around here sheep bring much more at the sale barn than goats.
BTW, I wouldn't fool with anything but hair sheep, wool is too much trouble and you can't make any money selling it.

ok, pigs, if kept properly on pasture (or a good sized soil pen) do NOT stink, except in the hottest weather. not any worse than any other confined animal. they are dangerous, because they are very strong and they are very determined. and they grow quickly-weaning to butcher in 4-6 months, depending on how much you feed them at a time.

sheep-i know nothing about.

goats. the bucks will stink during rut. the dairy does will give good milk that is useful for drinking, cooking, soap making, cheese. they are friendly and like people (most of them). if you have a good fence and don't keep jumpers, they will stay in. they are small enough for children to handle safely. they provide good meat in 6-9 months. the meat is protein packed and lean. if processed correctly, it doesn't taste "goaty". they are very picky eaters and need quality feed. they are browsers, not grazers, which is why they eat your pretty bushes. again, good fences and culling jumpers solves that issue. my goats always kidded easily,

i keep pigs (raise and butcher, not sows/breeding), goats, chickens, ducks and rabbits. i have a variety of meat and eggs, and milk. i have 5 acres and am not using about 1.5-2 of it for animals at this time.

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Chickens are the first thing to start eggs, meat.
Then Goats for milk and meat.

For money/ cash flow sheep or pigs more meat more money.
Pigs stink! Not to bad if they have access to the outside.
Also pig’s make pig’s faster the sheep’s make sheep.

Pigs do not stink. The smell comes from keeping them confined to a small area. You have to clean out the poop. Pigs are very smart and they do like to dig. They are strong, stubborn, and not always nice. A large pig could hurt you pretty bad.

I will have to say goats as opposed to sheep. I find sheep are a more timid and nervous.

Our pigs free-range and to me they do have an unpleasant smell. I wouldn't exactly say they stink, but they do have a sort of icky sweet smell to them. You do have to be close to smell it.

Start with chickens, egg supplies are great, meat is good and versitile.

Next i would say pigs. They are hardy, and dont take much space if you feed them.
They taste great :Bacon,Sausage,Ham,Pork Chops,Pork Steaks,Ribs etc.

Also cattle are nice, if you are going to have the processed, too big of a home job
for most people.

Besure to get your hams and bacon cured, dont get a shoulder in your sausage unless
you like it lean. Specify plenty of salt,pepper and sage for you sausage.

I like my hams sliced for breakfast. MMMMMMM.

I have a goat ... yeah it eats grass and brush. Doesnt look very tasty.

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I agree about goats. They are wonderful for companionship and milk. I don't milk my goats but a friend of mine does and all her goats are great companions also.

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Love all animals don't abuse them. I hope if caught abusing & animal I want to be first in line to kick your butt. I despise mean people & liars.

I live on just one acre and I personally vote for all of them...we have goats and we raise 2 hogs each summer for meat...we also have chickens, rabbits, turkey, quail, pheasants...

Our "neighbors" dont really appreciate the pigs...but we try to be as friendly as possible...we raise 2 at one time...get them early, right after they are weaned, usually in May and clean up after them and try to keep them cool with out making a stinky swamp...take them to butcher in mid sept...

Goats we love, have has lots of them from time to time, the most we have had at a time was 2 does, 1 buck and 5 kids...but we usually only have 1 or 2 does or 1 doe and 1 wether...the milk is wonderful...we feed alfalfa pellets...no hay because we have no "space" to store it, works well.

We have not had any sheep yet...but We have considered it, would be with the goats, no real big differences with issues there, just one more mouth to feed. We would have a kind that would not have to be sheared for ease.

Unless you are on less than an acre, I would do just what you wanted to. I say get them all!!!

Belinda

I vote for goats, too, for all the reasons already stated!

An idea I've always wanted to try, but haven't gotten around to yet, is breaking a goat to harness and building a little cart for him to pull. Usually it's a problem getting rid of males, so I figure this would be a good use for the wethers, other than for meat. My does keep giving me girl babies, though (not that I'm complaining! ) so I haven't had a chance to put the theory to the test yet.

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