Goat Info needed

[ChicaChicken]

Hello All,

I am looking for some general information and am sure someone here will know the answers.

I am really tired of cutting all my grass and was thinking about fencing off about 1.5 acres and buying some female goats to maintain the grass.

I have helped with goats many many years ago but have never owned any. I don't enen know if they would keep the grass down enough so I did not have to cut it or if they did how many I would need.

Any help or suggestions would be great and such a help to me!

 

[sfavorelle]

They would probably keep it down, however we still have to mow, not as often because they do not eat some of the weeds.

 

[StormyMoon]

I think if its wild grass , weeds . brush . trees it should be ok, you will still have to offer them loose salt mineral with copper is better than the block.


I am on 1.5 acres fenced off front to back I currently have 2 goats, 1 is kept on the back half and one has free roaming rights on the property.
Chickens also keep your grass down they have my back yard clipped up really nice, to many chickens will cut the grass down to the ground so you have to be careful about that.

I do have uneven patches from just parts the goats don't particularly like.

Kiko goats are good for this sort of thing , might want to research them a little and see if they fit your life style.

 

[scrambledmess]

Goats will eat grass, but it isn't what they really like. If all you have fenced in is grass, they will be looking for "browner" pasture. They like the rougher stuff.

Goats are good a clearing brush.

Sheep do a better job on grass, if all you want is a lawnmower.

 

[ChicaChicken]

Thank you for the information I am going to check out kiko goats. Maybe the sheep would be a better way to go. So much reasearch but so worth it!

 

[carolinagirl58]

If it's a field with mostly grass, sheep might be a better option. Goats like fields ok, but they LOVE brush and woods better. But honestly....by the time you build fences that are predator proof (electric wire on top and outside near bottom), you might be better off just hiring someone to mow the grass. Keeping your sheep and goats safe from roaming dogs and coyotes is a lot of work. You have to really want these animals to go through all the work it is to fence and protect them.

 

[dutchhollow]

Large goats on 1.5, and the fence to keep them in, a lot of work, and they don't really 'like' grass, they will eat it but they are browsers and not grazers. A couple of geese might be what you are looking for.

 

[StormyMoon]

Kiko goats are not very big at all not like a Nubian would be or a Boer. The other people on here are correct though, keeping them safe from predator's is very important as well as keeping goats in and out of harms way. They will test your fence line every chance they get and look for weak spots.

 

[dutchhollow]

Well, I have had kiko's and mine were as large framewise as a boer or a dairy goat. They did not build as much muscle as straight boers, so didn't weigh as much, but just as large. A friend of mine still keeps a 100 percent kiko buck with her herd and he is huge.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

I agree with the others. Goats are prefer brush and shrubs; whereas sheep love grass. I think if you want to keep the grass down you should go with a sheep...or even a cow if you want fresh milk! They have mini cows.... hehe sorry I am an enabler