Goat / Sheep Weed Abatement

[Nifty-Chicken]

Wow, if I could get a $20 goat that would be great. I'm guessing these aren't pre-castrated = wethers?

Where do I start looking for local goats? I'm in the CA Bay Area?

 

[ksacres]

Most will be pre-castrated LOL

Are there any livestock auction houses in your area? You could call your local extension office and they might be able to point you in the right direction. Also, if they are still young, and not castrated, they can be "banded" you can get a bander and the bands at any farm supply store for around $10 and do it yourself. No blood, just put the band around the "boy parts" and it cuts off the circulation and they drop off in a couple of weeks. The last time I went to an auction, they sold a few young wethers (around 2 months old) for about $5 each... Market was down, but I would spend a bit more like the $20 to $30 range for a bit older wether-less health issues that way.

 

[skatcatla]

Quote:
You could try Petfinders. You'd be surprised how many goats turn up in local animal shelters.

I agree with pp though, you might just want to keep them rather than give them away, partly because of the cost of fencing anyway and partly for socialization issues. I'm not saying goats get as bonded as say, dogs or cats do, but I definitely think they know and bond to their humans and, well, it could be sad for them to make them leave you. ;-D

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

I'm digging this back up again (I can do that, I'm the admin)

The weeds are super lush and green and we thought some sheep would be a great way to go for grass / weeds.

From what I've heard they would probably be a better fit for our location (sound) and for eating the grass, and for not being as likely to bust through fences.

Any updates on thoughts? Could I pick up a few sheep on craigslist, patch up the fence in our yard / add hotwire and turn them loose?

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Here is a sample of the weeds we have:

Click for larger image: (can you see which side of the fence the chickens live on and how long their necks are?



We have a TON of "wild oat":
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/A/W-GM-AFAT-FL.005.html

A bunch of California burclover
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/california_burclover.html

Lots of filaree:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/whitestem_filaree.html

And some foxtail:
http://www.caberfeidh.com/Images/foxtail.jpg

But mostly wild oat.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Oh great, I try to get some help from google on "sheep weed abatement" and THIS THREAD is the first result.... hahahahaha

http://www.google.com/search?source...z=1T4ADBR_enUS254US254&q=sheep+weed+abatement

 

[Kaneke]

tee hee hee

looks like you have a bunch of vetch as well ...

 

[raindrop]

Nifty- do you like lamb to eat? You could buy two lambs this spring, let them graze all summer, supplement as needed and then put them in the freezer/sell to friends. Or take them to auction. Or get some little Shetlands or other smaller wool breed to have as pets/weed control. I agree that your weeds look more like sheep food than goat food. I had some 4-H project sheep that retired at my parents place and were great pets. They always remember a face, you know!

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

We definitely won't eat them and (don't hate me) probably won't keep them longer than we need to for taking care of all the weeds (don't have the time or money to care for them once the weeds are gone).

Best case: I secure the backyard fencing and put electric nets / fence in the other areas. I get a sheep or two and the girls enjoy having sheep in their back yard for a few months as they (the sheep, not my girls) eat up all the weeds and then we sell them (again, the sheep, not our daughters) for cheap on craigslist.

My niece just conveniently had a mommy sheep have a few babies, but I don't know that we're ready to take care of babies and I don't know how soon they start eating weeds.

Do sheep like moist green weeds more or less than dry brown weeds?

 

[raindrop]

They like moist green weeds better.