anyone a semi experienced goat farmer?

Hey y'all, was looking to bit a goat I the area and in not sure what kind to get, my needs are as follows, keep weeds down in our small pasture, probably close to a quarter acre, I'd like to do this with minimal feed from elsewhere, I have a lean to they can stay in, I know it's somewhat sustainable for goats because there were 2 when we first looked at our house, anyone know what kind I should look at getting or a price I should expect to pay? Non milking, fairly nice, and easy to take care of, any help being pointed in the right direction is great! Thank you!

 

Also any ideas what to do with them in the winter, I can not heat the area for them but am sure I can sell them or it come fall.

 

Any Shwarma restaurants in your area?????? Seems to be a menu favorite there.

 

We raised angoras and they were OK. Smaller goats with horns that go straight back and they are not too obnoxious. The neighbor here has a few angoras and a larger Boer goat that are all pretty mellow. I like Boer goats myself. However, if they get out into your garden they will knock over plants and eat most of them in a hurry. My bamboo, berries and trees would get a 'goat haircut' 5 feet off the ground whenever they escaped into my fenced off one acre garden area. A quarter acre is not enough grazing area for more than one goat, and you will still have to feed them hay in the winter months. They also need a shelter and good fencing. In much of the western US you will have to feed them hay in the summer dry season as well. Any time the grass is not growing, you need to feed them. They are also susceptible to a million diseases and predators. Here they attract cougars and coyotes, and likely wolves when they increase in population. A lawn mower is a lot easier to deal with IMO. I have an acre of lawns that I mow here. No goats. I feed my leftover apples to the goats across the road in summer. Also keeps the wasps down and keeps the deer, raccoons and ringtails from coming around to eat them. I get a lot of apples here, and they love them. They will also eat pretty much any type of yard clippings and veggie food leftovers.

Here you can get goats really cheap at the livestock auctions. As cheap as $5 each for runts and odd ones.

 

Oh yes, and the male goats (bucks) can be obnoxious if they are not wethered. We had one that peed on himself all the time. Supposedly that terrible smell gets the does (females) to ovulate. Wether your male goats and sheep, and they will be a lot easier to manage.

 

Thanks for the help. Lawn mower isn't much of and option yet for the pasture. Way way to rough and gets completely overgrown with weeds before I can turn around. So I'm kind of thinking the angora or boer, pronounced boar like the male pig correct? We have coyotes around but I don't think I'll need to worry to much about it. Grass clippings are not a problem here if not I'll let it grow taller. Are there any must have shots I need to worry about with a mature goat? And does only one goat get to lonely? Thank you much for the help, this is why I ask anything and everything on this sight rather than sift through all the garbage info on Google!

 

I'd think goats would get lonely if left alone.

See if you can adopt a goat, or be a foster goat guy, or maybe big brother, little goats?

Sorry, I can't help myself. But maybe you could borrow a goat or 2 from a local?

I imagine you'd get some odd replies if you put up a goat wanted ad on craigslist.

 

I actually looked and there are a few goat wanted ads! I'm going to call the previous owner of the land and talk to him a bit, I guess he had a goat farm and said he could likely hook me up.

 

Not as weird as you'd think. I've seen "goat for rent" ads, and I think our local shelter actually does this. Worth a shot.

 

Or do you guys think that a pig would be a better fit? It would be a lot easier to find an end game with a pig come fall.

 

Holy crap. A little different than shaggys intent.
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/for/4957540083.html

 

Maybe I should just rent one every the weeks when the weeds get 4 feet tall and claim it's for a kids b'day party!

 

If ur thinking oink don't go with the white (or as some say pink). They do not tollerate sun well and burn easily. For pasture pigs I really like the red Duroc breed or a cross with it. They are a hardy critter that puts weight on efficiently and are relatively mild mannered for pigs. Do invest in a good fencer and introduce it early as they will test it but nothing like escape artist goats and keep all weeds trimmed back early on from it so they don't short the fence and oink learns to sneak under. Get a pair in fall put one in the freezer and sell the other and you will have provided payment for the fencer. Pen them in lean to for a week or so and they will associate it as home. They also love old tires, bowling balls and plastic barrels to play with-helps occupy time rather than testing fences. I will shut up now and if u want we can discuss more.

 

So for pigs red duroc is a good choice, how do pigs do for damage against the ribbed steel on buildings? I'm thinking it should be protected especially on the backside of the lean to where I have a narrower walkway to get from the smaller fenced in area to the bigger area? There's some pretty heavy wire fencing up already, I think I'll be able to get by without a fencer. If I have time I'll take a couple pictures of the area tomorrow or this weekend so you know what I have going on.

 

Pics wood be good. I am partial to bacon over goat for several reasons and was floored when last week a buddy said a day old calf came down in price to $500.00. Another nice thing is if you talk to the grocery store and explain u got pigs they may give you old bread and produce that pigs love and for next to nothing or maybe even free. They can be fun to raise and nuthin is better than fresh farm raised pork.

 

I'll try to get some pics, I'm not a big fan of bacon as it is(from the store anyways) mostly due to being spoiled with homemade venison bacon! I love that pigs will eat almost anything! We have 9 Apple trees and 2 pear trees, are pears okay? Nothing is producing yet but eventually it will and I'll have way way way way more apples and pears than I can eat anyways!

 

perty much if you can eat it so can they

 

I have a neighbor with a pair of fainting goats to mow his backyard. Has a little hut for shelter and buys a couple of square bales to feed in the winter. They do find there way out from time to time but all critters will.