Hi Everyone! This is my first time posting to this list, though I have been reading for a while..I appreciate all the information I have gotten from your posts!

We have 25 acres of land that is about 100 miles from our home. It is very wooded and grown up. We are trying to get ag exemption and are contemplating getting some goats for this property - we hope that they will help clean up some of the abundance of greenery that exists. My question is..are there any breeds or types of goats that are fairly self sufficient?

We do have water - creeks/springs on the property and would build shelter for them. Also, the property is fenced in barb wire, but we would put up 4 or 5 (?) ft. wire fence. The problem is that my husband goes to the property, at most, every 2 weeks..I'm not sure that there are any goats that could thrive with this sort of upkeep. Also, I do have concerns about coyotes jumping (do they do this?) the fence. This is in the central texas area so climate wouldn't really be an issue (except heat).. Any insight would be welcomed! Thanks..

-- Cathy (cwestx@home.com), April 05, 2001

Answers

Also have the worry of coyotes going under the fence. Might get a donkey to stay with the goats for some protection?

-- Carole (carle@earthlink.net), April 05, 2001.

Hi Cathy,I wouldn't chance leaving the goat for long periods of time. gOATS, NEED FRESH WATER DAILY. tHEY CAN JUMP OVER 4 OR FEET FENCE. i FOUND THAT OUT WHEN WE HAD OUR FENCE UP. Plus THEY NEED MINERAL BLOCKS. wHAT HAPPENS IF THEY GET TANGLED IN THE FENCE. THERE ISN'T ANYOONE TO HELP THEM. tHEY ALSO LIKE PEOPLE AND THERE FUN ANIMALS. YOU REALLY GET ATTACHED TO THEM. WELL GOOD LUCK IN WHATEVER YOU DO. PRISCILLA MOUNTAIN ASHE ACRES FARM UPSTATE NY

-- PRISCILLA (Mtasheacres@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

Cathy:

Who is going to feed these goats between your once every 2 week visit? Goats need to have their diet supplemented with good quality hay and grain on a daily basis. Browse and pasture will not meet their needs. These goats would also become easy prey for whatever predators are in the area. I would think in this situation a steer or two would be better. They can clear jungle much faster than a goat, are more self sufficient, hardier to the elements, less apt to become a coyote's lunch, and require much less maintenance. They will still need more than browse. If the property has no pasture yet, then I would suggest that you get several acres cleared and well established in pasture before putting any animal on it. Then, you need to check on them at least once a week, or find a local neighbor kid who you can pay to throw them some hay and check on their well being several times a week. The 4' barb wire should be fine for the steer.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), April 05, 2001.

Bramaha steers would be a good bet if you choose steers, their originally from India and get by on sparse foliage. Were imported to Florida many years ago because of the lack of improved pasture. Get two or more, cattle are not solitary animals. Bramaha are not a gentle breed; it is said that they are "born insane"; I've seen one put her horn through a steel livestock trailer roof.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

Cathy anything other than diary goats would be fine. You of course must make sure that the water is avialable all the time, and not just seasonal. I have an automatic waterer out in my wooded buck pen, and very honestly I could easily leave it for 2 weeks at a time. I do clean mine weekly, but thats only because I am obscessed:) There are herds of goats, angoras, boers, crosses etc. that are for sale all the time, with them lots of the time are guardian dogs. This would be a must for your situation. Donkeys (of which I now have two) will be fine in a pasture situation, which you will have some of in several years with having goats, but in heavy brush like this they are simply to big. Dogs on the other hand (pyr., anatolians, akbash, rhodesian ridgebacks) are bred to want to stay with the herd and protect it. I would go with unhorned animals just because you aren't going to be their. Kids born their can eaisly be disbudded, purchased stock, unless purchased with no horns, can eaisly be dehorned with elasatator bands. It will be several weeks before all the horns are off so you would have to visit more often in the beginning. I would also build your loafing shed first, then perhaps put up a small pen around it, then once you have purchased all the goats and their horns are off you can open the gate and allow them access to all the property. You will have to have some sort of catch pen, which this smaller pen could be used for, for worming, hoof trimming, meds and feeding. You obviously will have to allow for a more natural, let nature take its course type of situation than many of us on the board. You will have some loss, keeping only the most hardy of stock, and obviously does with only the best of feet. Castrating early all buck kids, and keeping a single buck to breed the herd, changing him out every 2 years. All the castrated wethers could be gathered up yearly before breeding season the following year after they are born, and sold for slaughter, paying for your wormers. The less purebred your stock is the better, going for crosses, mostly spanish, angora, hardy does, using perhaps a percentage buck, mostly boer but nothing reaching even 3/4ths. Good luck with your venture! Keep us all posted! I would love to know how it works out! Join some of the boards on Yahoo.com sheepandgoatrancher and Texas Boer goats would be good ones. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 05, 2001.

I wouldn't leave goats alone for 2 weeks. They like their people and they can get into too much trouble when left alone.

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), April 09, 2001.

cathy - My advice is against goats of any type (getting stuck in fence without anyone there to free them; any injury remains untreated; and of course, predators of various types). If you, however, should decide on goats regardless, then DO NOT PUT A DOG WITH THEM! Question: how are you going to feed the dog? You cannot put out enough feed for 2 weeks without fireants all over it. What if the dog gets snakebit? I have been breeding working Great Pyrenees for many years but have refused people a dog because of just the setting that you describe. Steers may work, but I would still be reluctant to put any live creature on a property that cannot be visited frequently. Karin

-- karin macaulay (kmacaulay@co.brazos.tx.us), April 10, 2001.