Goates or Sheep?

[Boondachs]

I just posted this in BYH also, but decided to post here too.....thanks

OK, here it goes. We are looking for 2 goats OR sheep. We plan to keep them as pets. We have no intrest in raising them for meat or milk, but as overgrown weed controll. So my question is, goat or sheep? Easy question right? BUT wait! theres a catch, we would like to put them to one more use.....fiber producers. As my wife LOVES to spin, we figured that it would be great to have our pets give us some fiber....well now your saying sheep, right??? Well we would like the easiest contained, family friendly, easily contained (yes, i said it twice) pets. I THINK she is intrested in the Shetland sheep, but will these provide any weed controll? OK thanks in advance.

 

[aaronzclark]

well I think goats make better pets but they are more for brush controlling, sheep would take care of weeds and if you get them young then sheep makes just as good of a pet but angora goats have fiber

 

[Boondachs]

I may have to find an Angora sheep to "hug" as we know she is allergic to angora rabits.

 

[vkulesh]

I would go with hair sheep ( no fiber but no shearing or tail docking ). There are breeds that are way too friendly - st croix or katahdin for example ( I think they are better pets than goats. Just don't mention it to goat people

 

[Boondachs]

hummmm OK, but will they eat overgrown vegitation or do most sheep only graze?

wait, i just reread that...i WANT the wool...... thats part of why the goats are a problem. The only sheeriable goats are the angoras, right?

 

[Thortherooster]

goats they are just like dogs, really, and they are way less mantiness, and they are easy animals to take care of....

 

[mekasmom]

sheep eat grass
goats eat weeds and brush

If you want to keep brush down, then you want goats. And their personalities are like dogs. They are very affectionate if they are imprinted to humans early in life.

 

[vkulesh]

Quote:
My sheep eat brush and weeds just fine. I think multiflora rosa is their favorite. I do not have goats but I tend to think they are way pickier than sheep.

 

[KinderKorner]

Goats have some of the most expensive Fiber in the world! And they make the best pets! Go for goats, you won't regret it!

More than just angora goats have fiber. Pygmy goats are known to have cashmere, but if it was my choice I would find myself a little Pygora. It's a mix between a pygmy and angora, small pet-like, and soft wool.

I have a fainting goat/pygmy mix. And she always had course thick fur with like matts underneath it. While brushing her this winter, I was like 'oh this is soft'. And when I finished brushing it all out. I realized with was Cashmere.

What a treasure. Super expensive fiber, that is probably the softest thing I have ever felt. Too bad I pulled it all off and scattered it all over the yard. lol

Oh well, next year I am collecting it from her, and two of my other crosses which I have found have it too. And I am going to put it to good use.