Lots of questions...first timer

[drewjunr]

We have 5 acres of thick woods that we want to have cleared...not fenced yet. We are looking to get 3 goats (1 buck 2 does) to start out with and put them in a temp fenced area and move them daily to and from the area so they are closer to the house at night because we have wild dogs and cats (PUMA) around the area.
I have read about making sure the fence is tight and cannot be walked up and small enough holes that they cannot put their heads through.

What is the best bread of goat to clear brush, weeds and saplings to the highest point? Not looking to milk them but let them free range eat/breed. Wife may make soap/cheese/milk later but that it is unclear at the moment.

Should I leave the horns on the goats for their own protection since we do not have a dog that will be with them?

I have also read that I should suppliment their browse with minerals, plenty of water and to worm them often...am I missing anything?

I have been reading up as much as possible, but this board gives a wide variety of personal experiences.

Thanks for the help

[TennesseeMama23]

They will all clear brush. I would get a few dairy wethers as they will clear "higher" if that's what you want. You could get those really cheap. If you want to breed goats I would get plain ole brush goats (though they are shorter goats). They will all clear as high as they can reach standing on their back legs, which is a pretty good bit.

I wouldn't buy a dairy doe unless you are going to milk-it is a waste of money and they need to be handled/milked to remain tame. I wouldn't want to buy one and it not get milked for 3 years. If the brush is really thick and thorny dairy does will get their udders all torn/scratched up.

The horns are a can of worms--that would be just your preference--I like no horns.

I would use electric fencing--it is a much better temp fence, easy to move and works just fine if you have enough strands. Also you don't have any getting their heads stuck.

[Spinner]

I'm a horns on person. I like the looks of the horns, and if you won't have a guardian dog to protect them, they might need those horns to help protect themselves. Horns do get caught in the fence so hot wire is probably the safest way to go if you buy horned goats.

On the other hand, I have some dairy goats that are hornless. They were dehorned when I got them, but the kids keep their horns. The original breeding stock will eventually go to new homes and all my goats will then have horns.

I agree that wethers is probably the best way for you to go if you don't plan to milk. My doe get scrapes on her udder when I let her out to browse. I'd prefer to keep her in a pen to avoid the scratches, but she wants to run with the herd so I'm doctoring scratches often. Also, it makes it much harder to milk when there's a scratch on the teat.

[fishhead]

You may want to vaccinate too.

[drewjunr]

We mainly have yaupon, dewberry vines, poisen ivy, unknown types of vines growing up trees, weeds, pines and oaks... near Plantersville Texas.

Starting out it is too thick to put an electric fence through without manually clearing a lot of brush out but was thinking of doing a 3x2 size box using tall hog fence panels tied together and to t-posts or trees for support.

If there is plenty to eat and drink...would they want to get out?

I am just in the planning stages...and welcome suggestions...I will probably be put the final plan together this weekend.

[mamajohnson]

none of my goats have offered to get out of their pen (tho it is pretty big) but they have tons of brush to eat, so they are pretty happy. They started at one side, and are eating their way across the pen.
I have been thinking about putting togther 4-6 cattle panels and using them as a portable fence. Only the LGD will go with them, they will return home every night, mainly for milking.
we are in northeast texas, lots of brush/vines/weeds. never had a goat complain yet.
Mine have horns, except for one, and I think I prefer horns. Keeps the over-rambunctios pup in check at times. Also, I have never had scratch problems on udders, even tho the brush is pretty dense, but like I said, they seem to be clearing their way across right now, dont just dive through the brush.