Goats in small fenced areas

[Mrs. Mucket]

We're considering getting a couple of fiber goats and thought about letting them clear out some areas of brush first.

Will they eat shrubby stuff or just tender plants?
Will portable electric netting contain them?
How much space do they need?

They would be moved around within a 3-acre fenced area patrolled by our Maremma livestock guardian dogs.

Thanks...

[farmmom]

The electric netting is supposed to work very well! As far as what they will eat, mine have eaten full grown blackberry bushes, thorns and all, right to the ground. They will eat just about anything growth that they can get in their mouths with the exception of ferns and a couple other ground hugging weeds.

[CarolT]

Mine went right through the netting, yelling the whole time However, I don't have a tester and think my charger is not what it was advertised to be (double )

[mysticklobo]

Angora goats need a HIGHER charge on the fence than short hair breeds, as the fiber protects them from the zap. I never used electric fence with mine because of that, most chargers that would work for them are the big cattle ones and more expensive. I would use cattle/livestock panels for them, as they can be moved around easily and would probably be cheaper than buying the electric netting and a portable charger.

My angoras ate just about anything they could reach, especially anything with thorns. It seems that goats like to eat the least desirable plants, so anything like poison oak, poison sumac, poison ivy, blackberry brambles...

[Shygal]

I can tell you my two just ate both my brand new burning bush plants I planted last year

[Sonshine]

Mine have eaten the bark off of several pine trees. It's funny, you can tell exactly how high they can reach by looking at the trees.

[Mrs. Mucket]

Oh wow I never would have guessed they'd eat pine bark! That could be a problem in one area here. Sounds like they're not very fussy eaters

[Alice In TX/MO]

They are VERY FUSSY eaters. They want to eat everything you like to grow in your yard! However, they will NOT eat a cookie that fell on the ground. Silly goats.

[Backfourty,MI.]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

They are VERY FUSSY eaters. They want to eat everything you like to grow in your yard! However, they will NOT eat a cookie that fell on the ground. Silly goats.

So True & So Funny! Thanks for the chuckle this morning Alice, I needed that!

[mysticklobo]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

However, they will NOT eat a cookie that fell on the ground. Silly goats.

Mine will, but then I don't spoil them as much as some people do.