Are goats worth the trouble of having them for the work they do?

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I have four acres and absolutely can't keep up with the weeding. (Mostly worried about the front half of the property). I keep thinking a couple of goats would be able to benefit from grazing. I have 5 ft. chain link fence surrounding my property. I live in rural San Diego mountain area where we do have mountain lions too. I realize I'd have to pen them up at night. Could someone answer just a few questions for me?

1) Do they require regular hoof trimming and if so how often? (The plan is to let them roam the four acres during the day).
2) Can they scale the fence or even if they could would they bother trying since they have a large area?
3) If I let them graze all day do I have to supplement their food?
4) I just read that they require regular deworming. Anything else they need done to them on a regular basis?
5) If I got a male how old do they have to be before they can be neutered/gelded (or whatever you call it on a goat)?

I have horses, dogs, chickens of course. I've always wanted a goat but have never had one. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. Anyone have a favorite breed of goat? I think bigger is better in my neck of the woods. Thanks!

 

[dutchhollow]

I will try to cover it.

Weeds are good, they don't really graze on grass so much, but will if that is all there is. Five foot chainlink should be OK, is there a wire at the bottom that it is attached to? We run barbless wire and hog ring the chain link to it. Some goats will not bother it, some will try to push under it, two on five acers shouldn't be a problem.

1. Depends on the goat, some need it every couple of months, some hardly ever (just as in horses), it is easy to do yourself, I just use pruning shears and take off the excess.

2. They won't go over the fence, but as I said above could push under.

3.Depends on what you have to eat, during summer I don't feed anything, but they have about 100 acers of all kinds of grasses, trees and weeds. Feed to condition, if you think they look thin, add some hay. If you go with wethers, you really want to limit the amount of concentrates in their diet.

4. worming is kind of like trimming, some need it alot, some don't. I used to run 40 does, by culling those that got wormy (or showed problems)I am down to a group that is not at effected, also mine have a very large area, if yours are in a smalller pen, might need it more often.

5. If I have wethers going as pets, weed eaters, I wait until they are three months, or later and have them cut, they are usually a little large to band at that age. Some say less chance of urinary blockage later if you wait to do it, don't know if there is any science to back it up, but with larger goats they don't mature as fast as the little guys, are never smelly at that age.
I like my boers have also had saanen milk goats that I loved, I do have one nubian now, very loud. But the boers are friendly and make nice pets.

 

[Widget]

Quote:
1) Yes. I try to do the hooves on my two every 6-8 weeks. But it will depend on the type of ground they are on.
2) Maybe. My 12 year old Nubian decided to get out this winter. But the ice/snow was up to within a foot of the top of the fence so all she had to do was step over. But she never wanted to step back over.

Now that the snow is melted she doesn't even try. On my way home from work I watched two kids (goat no human) almost make it over the top of the pen they were in. And the pen looked to be at least 6 ft. tall.
3). Maybe. I have to supplement mine since they don't have free range of the 3.5 acres I have. They are in a pen that is about 30 ft in diameter.
4.) They do need vaccines. Rabies, tetanus and clostridium (sp?) I believe are the top three. I'm sure others will have differing opinions so go with what makes the most sense for your region.
5). I believe 8-12 weeks is castration age.
6). I have a Nubian and Nigerian Dwarf. They were rescues. I really like the looks of the Alpine and Toggenburg. LaManchas are interesting in that they have very tiny ears. I've worked with many breeds over the years (as a zookeeper, the goats were in the petting zoo) and never found a breed that I disliked.

 

[carolinagirl58]

1. Yes.....they will need hoof trimming
2. Yes they can scale a 5' fence. Most wont....but they can.
3. Yes...goats usually need supplement unless you get the really tough hardy scrub type goats
4. Goats have to be dewormed regularly.


Additionally, goats are very hard on fences. You should plan on using an electric wire inside near the bottom to keep them from rubbing on the fence.

Have you thought about hair sheep? I am getting Barbados Black Belly sheep. they don't need to be shorn (they don't have wool...they have hair which they shed). They don't need supplemental feeding and they don't need deworming because they have a very high tolerance to parasites. Fence requirements are the same as for goats.

 

[nurturingnaturally]

As far as the deworming, it really is important to deworm as needed, not on a schedule. Worms are developing resistance to the chemicals all over the US, and it can be a real problem. So, it is good to watch their condition, and run a fecal (or have your vet do it) to see if worms are an issue, and if so, what kind.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Thanks to everyone that responded. In reading your responses I've come to the conclusion it's not worth it. Maybe down the road when I don't have so much on my plate. The fence issue is the deciding factor.
I do dog rescue and I can't have the fence compromised.

 

[arabianequine]

Yes I spent the evening with 3 other friends chasing a toggenburg and a boer young like a year or 2 old each and they cleared 4-5 foot fencing....so yeah we are not getting them. They are not tame either so those to factors made it a no for us on this persons goats.

I am getting the same type of two goats from a different person and better deal and what I want.

 

[jerseygirl1]

OK, my two cents and I would re-think the fence thing.

We have five goats, two adults with their triplets that are 5 weeks old. They do not touch the fence, over or under. It's electric. I let one out at a time for weed control, and to get her to come in, I shake her food bowl and give her grain - food is a big motivator for goats. That being said, I wouldn't trade them for the world. Their upkeep is LOW - $3 for a bale of hay once a week and a 50# bag of grain every two months at $12 a bag. I go thru m ore now because there are 5, but as soon as I can find a nice home fo rhte babies, I will be down to two. I though tey would escape as soon as they could, but mine could care less because I am the grain source. They are pgymy/dwarf mixes.
Edited to say the fence is only 4 feet high. They have no way to jump over it since the onyl thing in the pen with them is a picnic table and chairs to play on, which is not in a lcoation to give them clearance to jump out.

 

[arabianequine]

Your smaller goats like pygmys and dwarfs probably can't clear the fence. So it depends what kind of goats you want. I talked to another lady that says she is getting rid of a saanen doe that won't stay in the fence, they are pretty tall goats.

Should trim and worm too. They need shots too like every animal and person.

 

[dkvart1]

I had a mixed breed goat years ago who for a brief time shared the back yard with out dog.. They loved each other and slept in the dog house together while we built a pen off the lean to attached to our garage.

The back yard was fenched with a 4 ft chain link fence... which Rosie promplty learned to climb over... and taught the dog to climb! What a sight that was! Problem was... dog would run away... Rosie would go to front door and rap her head against the door to be let in! She was jealous that the dog got to come in and she didn't. Whenever she got loose that is as far as she went... and waited until someone let her in. She'd be satisfied just to walk though the house and look in all the rooms. Then she'd happily go back out and be good for 4 or 5 days before wanting to check things out indoors again. The neighbors found this very entertaining!