Goats eating trees

Minelson · #1 05/19/08, 04:57 PM

Anybody have any good ideas to keep goats off of certain trees. I know penning them up is best but I like to let mine roam the property. We have some evergreens that are getting hit pretty hard by them (3 pygmy) I have some spray stuff for use on wood to keep horses from chewing...smells like hot cinnamon. Anyone ever use something like that with success?
Thanks!

jode · #2 05/19/08, 05:05 PM

I figure a piece of cattle panel bent around the tree and tied with baling wire is about the only way to keep them off...

YuccaFlatsRanch · #3 05/19/08, 07:29 PM

Good Luck - goats eat everything including DW flowers. They really like the expensive ones.

Shirley · #4 05/19/08, 07:45 PM

We put 4 tposts around the tree and a hot wire. They leave the tree alone.

Bfly Farmer · #5 05/20/08, 06:56 AM

I make my own liquid fence - 6 eggs & 1/4 c water mixed in a blender and then placed into a spray bottle. Spray onto the area they are eating and let it dry. You can store the extra in the refrig. I always reapply each week or after a rain, but my mom uses this on her garden for deer and only reapplies once a month (or after a rain).

I learned this trick from a friend who has goats. It has saved her maple saplings and my evergreen saplings. The goats will smell the plant and usually walk away. Sometimes they will taste it, spit it out, and move along.

Minelson · #6 05/20/08, 07:09 AM

Bfly! Thanks!!! We have so many eggs that we don't know what to do with...this helps a lot I will try it

Minelson · #7 05/20/08, 05:30 PM

hmmm. Tried the egg concoction...didn't work. Not only are the goats still eating the trees but the cats and dogs are now licking them!

KSALguy · #8 05/20/08, 06:24 PM

fence in the trees or fence out the goats, a case of not being able to have your cake and eat it too lol, dont you hate that?

Minelson · #9 05/20/08, 07:54 PM

LOL or them "having their trees and eating them too!" I just posted on the thread about goats not walking out to browse...I'm starting to think that my goats (though I love them dearly) are brainless.

Bfly Farmer · #10 05/21/08, 07:50 AM

I am so sorry to hear the liquid fence didn't work. Maybe I just have odd goats. Wouldn't surprise me. I have a doeling this year that climbs trees to get above the mixture. She made it up about 5 ft off the ground before we started cutting the lower limbs.

Minelson · #11 05/21/08, 07:55 AM

Bfly, Maybe I have odd eggs! LOL

xoxoGOATSxoxo · #12 05/21/08, 02:05 PM

Seems like you'll have to fence your trees....

Your goats dont get into any mischief (besides tree-eating!

) when they roam the property? That is so cool!

Jcran · #13 05/21/08, 07:12 PM

I use small squared panels (for holding rocks in cages to prevent erosion) that look like hog panels and cut them with the big cuttter doohickey into panels that are like 4 feet long each, giving me 4-5 panels total. Then they are small enough to schlep where ever I need them. I use them around trees by clipping them with inexpensive clips or those GROOOVY pigtail squiggly things from premier fencing company that just spiral down and connect two or more of them together. If the clips are too loose then the panes can sway, giving goatios access to the bark or limbs, so snug connection is important.

Minelson · #14 05/22/08, 11:35 AM

Jcran...thank you, I might have to do something like that. I tried the hot cinnamon stuff for horses and it didn't work.

xoxoGOATSxoxo, Yes they do get into SOME mischief but not too bad. They jump into the UPS truck when he arrives...luckily the driver thinks it's funny and now gives them treats. If I know someone is coming over I put them in their pen because Frankie & Flossie are immeadiatly on top of their car along with all 5 cats. If it's someone I don't want over I just leave them out....Frankie & Flossie will be on their car and Gretta will try to head butt them..keeps the un-wanteds away