Thinking about getting a four-legged lawn mower...

[Handyman]

We have pigs and poultry, my wife and I grew up raising cattle, and I took 2 sheep courses in college. Neither of us have spent much time with goats. I'm wondering if getting a goat makes sense for our situation. Eventually, we've thought it'd be nice to have a few goats to help control brush and to provide meat and milk. Starting with one and butchering it in the fall seems like a good test/place to start.

We have a fairly large 'lawn' (mainly ladino white clover) that the chickens help mow and we have about 1/4 acre of pond dike that could be pastured. We also have some brushier stuff, about 4 acres. There's plenty to eat around here.

For pasturing the goat, I think a couple of methods would be needed for our 'pastures'. A premier net (or similar) would be good for some of our areas, but in other spots a cable/rope/chain and collar would be good. I know you need to be careful about the goat getting wrapped around something with this method. I envision using it in open areas for temporary pasturing (a few hours/day).

We have an extra calf hutch the goat could use, or it could bunk with the chickens. Housing isn't an issue.

What should I look for, a boer, cross, or dairy buckling? I think it makes most sense to find a boer. We might better get as much meat from the beast as possible. However, dairy bucklings are only $50 around here. Would there be a respectable amount of meat from an Alpine, for example?

What age goat should we be looking for if we want to butcher in mid September?

What kind of questions should I ask when shopping?

When looking at a goat, what should I look for?

Is it ok to have just one goat, or will it be unhappy? Is there any reason why it couldn't share pasture and housing with the chickens?

Thanks for the help.

[thaiblue12]

I would never tie out a goat period. Even if they cannot strangle themselves they are easy pickings for a predator.

You need 2 goats, one will be lonely and miserable and make you sorry you got a goat. They are such herd animals.

Boers are good for meat but not good for milking. They tend to dry up at 5 months along.

They should not be in with the chickens since chicken feed is deadly to them. They cannot resist it and will eat it till they get sick. Also chickens are dirty and goats like to be clean. My chickens have their own coop and they cannot poop on my goats They can share a pasture but not housing if feed and poop is involved.

When looking for a dairy goat look for healthy goats, clean, tested for CAE, no lumps, scars from lumps, runny poop, clear eyes. If they balked about testing, or their goats are wild and unhandleable walk away.
I do not have meat goats but I would look for good sized goats that are the above but I doubt they would test for disease as most terminal animals are going to be eaten anyway. Now the good show ones can test but who wants to spend $300 for a buck you are going to eat, lol.

I know people on here who eat dairy bucklings so if the price is right get them but have them wethered, bucks smell and are not the best goat to start out with. So get a pair of $50 dairy boys and start there.

[Alice In TX/MO]

If you want lawnmowers, get sheep. They are the grass eaters, and they don't jump on your vehicles and eat your windshield wipers.

[saanengirl]

Boers tend to have less resistance to parasitism than other breeds, so I don't recommend them to people new to goats. I would start with something hardier, like a dairy wether, Kiko, or Spanish goat. As far as fencing, I don't recommend the electric net as a primary fence for goats. It is ok for cross fencing, but I have seen way too many goats figure out how to get out of it. If you want to do electric, do 6 or 7 strands of high tensile electric.

[Pony]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

If you want lawnmowers, get sheep. They are the grass eaters, and they don't jump on your vehicles and eat your windshield wipers.

What Alice said.

Unless your "lawn" is orchard grass, clover, and other tasty weeds, you're far better off with sheep.

Also, PLEASE do not tether out goats and leave them to the mercy of predators!

And for a bit of thread drift: Thaiblue, my goats have gotten into the chicken feed, and showed no ill effects. Is it the type of chicken feed, or...? TIA.

/thread drift

[Blue Run Farm]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

If you want lawnmowers, get sheep. They are the grass eaters, and they don't jump on your vehicles and eat your windshield wipers.

Hey, my goats don't jump on my vehicles and eat my windshield wipers! Oh, wait, they are fenced away from the vehicles, lol. OTOH, my Snickers and her two kids have been trying to come in the back door ever since I turned them out in the yard. Silly goats!

[Alice In TX/MO]

I think it's a combination of whether it's medicated chicken feed and the amount consumed.

[thaiblue12]

Pony it can cause acidosis. Even small amounts over time can cause it. There have been a couple of people on here who have lost goats to getting into the chicken feed, layer pellets, crumbles etc. Not scratch that I have heard of. Protein, animal fats/parts whatever they put in chicken feed can cause an inbalance/imbalance in a goat's gut. Boy do they love it! Mine is kept in a 55 gallon drum with lid in the garage far from the goats.

[Pony]

We don't use medicated feed here, so that wouldn't be an issue. And I spend so much time with the goats that they don't get more than a taste of anything like the chicken feed. (Though Trub did have me fooled once when she was swiping rabbit feed through the fence....)

And back to Handyman's question: I think you should get goats anyway. They have more personality and they are great companionship. And as you already seem to know, goats are like potato chips: Can't have just one!

[yarrow]

having both sheep & goats.. I think in your situation, with the area you are wanting to keep them in, I would sheep... I can honestly say, that if you were to contact me.. about buying dairy bucklings/wethers from me.. I would be steering you towards a couple sheep instead.. from your own description, I really think they would better serve your needs.

susie, mo ozarks

[Pony]

Originally Posted by yarrow

having both sheep & goats.. I think in your situation, with the area you are wanting to keep them in, I would sheep... I can honestly say, that if you were to contact me.. about buying dairy bucklings/wethers from me.. I would be steering you towards a couple sheep instead.. from your own description, I really think they would better serve your needs.

susie, mo ozarks

Susie, you have SHEEP???

Hm. I think it's time to butter-up my darling Nick a little more, and then have a chat with you about sheep...

ETA: Shouldn't Handyman get both, then?

[yarrow]

Originally Posted by Pony

Susie, you have SHEEP???

Hm. I think it's time to butter-up my darling Nick a little more, and then have a chat with you about sheep...

ETA: Shouldn't Handyman get both, then?

oh yeah.. we have sheep... it's how we keep the meadows *mowed* ... the goats spend most of their time out in the woods... without the sheep the grass would be waist high out there!!! My *flock* is wee.. just five.. 2 retired show shetlands and an orphaned wether (from the same flock.. he was raised on goat milk and LOVES the goats LOL).. then there is Mildred & her *lamb* Peggy Sue they are Romneys (Mildred is 14 and still going strong) .....

(the *girls* .. even Sherman, the wether is one of the girls LOL.. grazing.. we've had well over 20inches of rain in the past few weeks.. the grass is growing so fast...you can HEAR it!!! but they are keeping it looking good!



you must however watch out for the soul-sucking/were-sheep that come out of the woods at dusk!!! LOL.. I think they must have over heard us talking about trying to shear them ourselves this year.. in the past I've always hired someone!!!...


susie, mo ozarks

[wolffeathers]

LMAO! I can't believe I laughed so hard at the were-sheep picture! They look hypnotized!

Sheep= lawnmower
Goat = acrobatic bushhog

[Pony]

I think those are lasers set for "stun" -- pointed right at us!

Susie, I may phone you. Nick has actually mentioned sheep a few times in the past month (the darned tractor was acting up).

Wolffeathers: You get the award for Best Description of the Species!

[KimM]

Oh my gosh, the first thing that popped in my head with their blank expressions was, "The lights are on but nobody's home!" :smiley-laughing013:
That's a great pic!

[Handyman]

Thanks everyone, especially those who also have sheep.

The electric nets don't work for goats?

[Alice In TX/MO]

I use them with my goats. Never had a problem with them.

[stormywood]

Me= Boy it's a nice day, think I'll let a goat out to eat the stuff my hubby missed when he weed whacked last time he mowed. Well, I let three different goats individually out over the day, so I could keep an eye on them, NONE of them wanted anything to do with lawn maintanence, unless you consider eating already mowed grass help, all wanted to eat my bushes, flowers and my garden. All three stuck their noses up at those yummy weeds, then it took me forever to corral them back up. And they are all tame and come to their names. Since I can't use a weed whacker myself, next time I will go out with my kitchen shears or use my own teeth!

[TroutRiver]

Electric netting will work with goats but it needs a STRONG charger. I have never had sheep, but I've been told by several people that you should NEVER use electric netting with sheep, especially lambs. They get themselves tangled up in it and can't feel the electric shock until they're already caught. The manager of the farm I used to work on said he stopped using it after finding several dead lambs over the course of a single season who had gotten tangled and shocked to death in the fence. Solid fencing is best for sheep, because they can't always feel the electric fence under all that wool. If you have to use electric fencing for sheep, use strands so they don't get themselves caught.