Will goats kill a tree?

[chickenluver100]

Hi, I am getting Nigerian dwarf goats soon, and I can't decide to build the goat fence with the tree on the inside or with it on the outside. The tree is a dogwood, would the goats kill it?
Thanks

 

[cafarmgirl]

It depends. The smaller the tree the more damage they will do to it. They will eat all the leaves and smaller twigs and branches they can reach. If the trunk is big enough and has low limbs they may even climb up into it. My last pasture had two almond tree's in it and my three Boer goats were very adept at jumping into the lower branches and climbing quite high into those trees! But the tree's were large and they did fine. Smaller tree's will pretty much just be eaten and trampled down.

 

[Stacykins]

I know a person who built her goat pen with many trees inside. Mostly cedar. These goats don't have horns, but they have removed all the bark that they can reach. They girdled the trees within a year. If you are fond of the tree, I'd suggest building elsewhere. If not, go for it!

Also, if you build the fence with the tree inside, please do not keep collars on your goats. I don't recommend keeping a collar on an unattended goat anyway, but another goat keeper I know had a boer doe who died because she got hung up on her collar in a tree....

 

[Bunnylady]

Goats have a reputation for being excellent at clearing land. They will eat any part of a tree they can reach, including the bark. The area behind my house used to have brush so dense, a rabbit couldn't run through it, and after having 5 goats on it for a few years, it is completely clear (there used to be a numerous 50+ foot tall pine trees, we cut them down after the goats ate the bark and killed them). The only shade in that space now is cast by trees outside the fence, and under the barn roof.

 

[chickenluver100]

Thank you for all the help! I have made the decision to leave the tree outside the goat pen.