...brush clearing question...

[Grapescott]

I posted this over at another goat site, with little response, this forum seems much more active...

We are in the process of looking into goats for brush management- our grounds are very heavy with the thorny vines very common in the NJ pinelands.

Are goats capable/willing to clear this(see images)?

we are complete novices to goats, we are looking at Nigerian/fainting mix.

Thanks

[Grapescott]

Another image of brush- Picture is sideways?

[1shotwade]

That appears to be greenbrier or at least in the greenbrier family. If so they should enjoy it.

Wade

[motdaugrnds]

My goats won't eat that; and I cut it down and spray it with roundup ever time I see it.

I don't know where you live; however, I'm in eastern USA and I have what is called "wingstem" that my goats won't eat either. (Goats won't just eat anything like some people say.)

Also, some wild life is poisonous to goats; so before you spend money on goats, you might want to get your local ag agent to pay you a visit and identify the various plants/bushes/trees you have growing. This could save you a lot of heart ache.

Another thing to consider is the type of goat. If your goats will have udders on them, those thorny bushes growing in so many pastures/fields can tear them up.

[Wingdo]

Not really sure what you have there; I'm in KY which should be called the "saw-briar" capital of the world and I raise Boer goats. I've come to one conclusion with my Boers... if it has a thorn or is poison ivy/oak, it is eaten first... then comes the bittersweet bushes/honeysuckle/Johnson grass... with fescue/good timothy/red clover/blue/orchard grass coming in last place. My fields were so dense when we moved here you couldn't walk through them w/o wearing good hunting gear, and even then it was extremely hard to do. Now we have close to 8 acres of very nice pasture with good grass and no briars/honeysuckle/cedar/saplings or bittersweets to be found w/i the confines of the fields.

[Grapescott]

We are in the pinelands of New Jersey- this thorny vine is very prominent in the area.

[muleman232]

My goats love green briars and I would bet that's what that is. I had a friend that lived off of Buckshottem Rd. near Millville NJ. He made quite a bit of money selling goats to the various ethnic individuals that lived in the surrounding area. His goats lived on green briars when ever they cleared an area, he fenced another area for them.

[Frosted Mini's]

I don't know what your plant is, but I can tell you with a lot of certainty that my goats love all things with thorns. How they eat them without getting scratched and poked to bits in their mouths, I have no idea. And mine are dairy goats who have had little problem climbing around in brushy areas with their udders. Occasional small scratches is all I've seen so far, knock on wood. I think they are pretty protective of that sensitive area.

[maclean]

We have Spanish goats here in Oregon...and they love clearing blackberries. We bought 17 acres of tangled forest one day and 6 goats a week later. I would recommend Boer or Spanish...much hardier. We had a Nubian old mother goat to keep the Spanish kids in line...she lasted about four months. We now have two kids.

[Pony]

I'll agree with the majority: If it has thorns, my goats inhale it! Then they go for the sassafras, then hickory, then oak.

Are you going to use the goats for more than land clearing? Meat, milk?