Goats VS Sheep... Thoughts?

[WrenAli]

I know people who milk both sheep and goats. Personally I would get goats for milking. LaMancha (medium goat), Saanen (Large goat, Best milkers, lower butterfat) or Toggenburg (medium goat). Goats have been better bred for milk then sheep.

Hair sheep are great if you want to raise for meat but they don't milk enough for a family. The best milker, sheep breed, is the East Friesian. I know of a dairy that runs at least a 100 of these and they do fine. But they milk for cheese production only.

Friesians will give you between 130 and 160 gallons per lactation period of 210 to 230 days. The milk fat is about 6-7%.

Where as a goat (Production Saanen) will give you more than 437 gallons per 300+ days. With a 3-4% milk fat. So the smaller goats will give you less.

Both goats and sheep are fun to raise. But goats are the better milkers.

On the other hand you can also try Dexter cows (smallest mini cow). They produce 1.5 to 2 gallons a day with a lactation period of around 287 days. (about 430 gallons over 287 days with 4% milk fat) They are sweet and easy to handle. Stay in better than sheep and goats. The only down side is that they have a 9 month pregnancy.

 

[bullydog]

true, to each his/her own.

For sheep, Icelandic are very good for wool. The wool will grow long enough to touch the ground.

For meat, Old English sheep are great for meat. they can grow 200-300 pounds.

We have some lambs ready for sale now and a ram going to the auction soon.

Its all about what there breed for.

 

[cgjsmith]

I have both. If your going for milking go for goats. But make sure you have a really good fence I just got rid of a weather pygmy who could jump a 5 foot fence. Oh so frustrating!! If your looking for a pet get a weather with your nannies. The does will most likely be more standoffish then the weather will.
I also have sheep (which I raise just because

I have a miniture breed (olde english babydoll southdowns) And they are wonderful sheep they love to be petted and run when called. Plus they stay in a two string electric fence (even though its not on half the time)
My hubby was very against getting both sheep and goats but I didn't really give him a chance to argue ha ha. Crystal

 

[MissPrissy]

I have both.

My goats are dairy goats. My sheep are dairy sheep.

I live near a sheep dairy. They make the most awesome cheese!!

Goats are very hard on fencing and electric fence is your best bet. Sheep are reportedly less hard on fences but to our experience that is not exactly true. We put up more electric fencing. My girls are freindly and attn hogs. My baby bucklings are growing fast and they are very sweet and tame. They were bottle babies.

Goats eat up - they need lots of brush and trees to browse and eat.

Sheep eat down - they need pasture to graze.

Sheep are less friendly. They make a strange sound I may never get used to. They like to eat and will take everything from every animal if you don't watch them at feeding time. They waste feed. I plan to breed the ewes and take the lambs and bottle feed them and rehome the ewes. One is crossed with a wool sheep and the other a meat sheep. It really works out nice that way if you are not interested in pure breeds. My ram lamb is almost ready for market as he is growing very fast. he has nice big rear 'hams'.

I am looking forward to putting our ram lamb in the freezer. He sort of frightens me at times. He comes up behind me. He is not food agressive but he always wants food. He is not easily detered from trying to get food from you. He walks on my heels if I am not watching. He could easily over take one of my girls if I left the kids to feed him.

He is in the process of learning to the the ram-a-lamb-a-bam-bam thingy - you know what I mean?!? - I can't wait to take him for butcher. Seriously.