Sheep or Goat

[greyfields]

I'm allergic to wool, too. But you know, I can handle sheeps wool when we are shearing. It's not itchy at all and is rather soft. It has to be milled for it to rub me raw... same effect hay has on my arms.

 

[jkcove08]

I have had both and are now only allowed to have 1 sheep. Unfortunately all of the goats that we have had except for 2 were real NAUGHTY!!! I guess that might have been because they were piggy goats. My hubby cant stand them. They kept getting out and climbing on our cars. I never knew one could go up the front of a minivan right to the top..lol They also head butted him any chance they had. The only 2 good goats we had were Nubians. I am thinking of talking him into letting me get a milk goat since we go through so much milk around here. Now for sheep I love BABA. I got her when she was 2 weeks old and bottle fed her. She is very friendly and I let her wander my property. She does not go near the road and will just stay by the house. She also like going by our horse but he is to energetic and I think would hurt her if we had them together. I trimmed her a couple weeks ago and just now got a set of sheers so I will make her look nice this weekend. I am adding pics of her when I was half done. Dont laugh to hard, she might hear you. I used kitchen sheers to trim her and it took a couple hours to finish over 2 days. She will fallow me any where but wont go anywhere with my hubby. For some reason all of the animals I get dont like him very much.. Oh well...lol As a note depending on what bushes and flowers you have sheep will chew on them also. BABA really likes my cherry bushes and apple trees. I am getting a little upset with her about that and almost put her in the freezer but not yet. Jenn

 

[Skyesrocket]

"Now for sheep I love BABA. I got her when she was 2 weeks old and bottle fed her. She is very friendly and I let her wander my property. She does not go near the road and will just stay by the house. "

That is good to know. I always thought sheep were flighty.
Oh my....I see a bottle baby lamb in my future.

 

[Julie_in_PA]

Well I simply MUST vote for goats

hehehe ...

Goats are "browsers" and will usually be more interested in the weeds than the grass.

Goats don't need sheared (well unless you WANT to get angora goats for that reason).

Goats are fairly low maintenance ~ they're not very expensive to care for (unless you have a huge herd - which alot of anything gets expensive)

Goats are SO entertaining ~ especially if they have "obstacles" and "toys" to climb on and play on. Ours have a couple of wooden spools with a ladder and "bridge" ... plus they have a custom "rock mt" (just a little hill of rocks). It's so fun to watch them romp and play on there - especially the kids - they really get into it.

Goats are cuter

(pics)...
Me and a couple of my goat kids ...

Me in my doe pen...

HOWEVER ~ REGARDLESS ~ remember there are poisenous plants out there ~ so be aware of what's poisenous that may grow in your area, and make sure that you have a "poison free" pasture / browse area.

 

[Beekissed]

I plan on getting a Dorper ewe by next year. Anyone know of any breeders in WV?

My plan is to put electric fence around the garden and let the sheep eat everything else in the yard and orchard, as my place is totally fenced. I would like to breed her to a local ram and sell the lambs at market. This will save me gas and time on the lawn, the lambs should help pay for feed and hay for the winter and she will look so good on my lawn! I would like to have 2 but I don't have the space. She will just have to keep company with the dogs and chickens.

 

[Hidden Hollow Hatchery]

What does your pasture look like right now?
If you are trying to get rid of tall weeds or immature trees, get goats. If you just need your grass trimmed, get sheep. Goats are ten times more irritating than sheep. I have had both, and while I greatly prefer the sheep, they are inferior to goats when getting rid of scrubby brush and weeds which my horses will not eat.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Goats are browsers. They don't graze on grass.
My two can be naughty, but they can't help it, it's just who they are. They are very friendly if raised right.
I am thinking sheep next year myself...

 

[KotaDVM]

Just to follow up on what most people said... goats are broad leaf eaters and browsers. If you want just the grass clipped down, but do not want to deal with the wool- I highly suggest getting a hair sheep. Breeds like the Barbados Black Belly sheep look just like goats and do not grow thick wool. They also have a very high resilience to parasites.