Anyone have a goat?

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
If you want to keep your grass short, a goat isn't your best choice. Grass isn't on the top of their list of favorite foods. They'll be happier eating your rose bushes, given the chance. They're usually quite picky about what they eat. However, if there isn't much else around, I suppose they'll happily munch on your lawn. (I'm looking for a picture that shows all three of our smaller pasture areas - the front has female goats and llamas - no grass present, just dirt. The middle area has male goats - plenty of grass. The outside area has a male llama and an alpaca - very little grass.

About the 4th or 5th picture down on our website

Get a llama and you'll never have to mow again. I'll have one for sale next spring, if it's a male.

But, if you're interested, this fall we're expecting (6?) fainting goat (myotonic goat) kids. Unfortunately, our nubian buck got loose in the girls' area and we may have some "droopy-tonics" - A cross between Droopy the goat and the myotonic goats. All the offspring born around the time that he could be the father are going to be DNA tested for paternity. Any droopy-tonics will be for sale dirt cheap; we haven't got a clue what they would be like. The fainting goats are generally very gentle and one of the easiest to keep because they're unable to jump fences. (Although, in discussions with a number of other breeders, we're aware of one pain in the neck male that was sold from farm to farm several years ago; not a friendly guy.) Nubian goats are among the friendliest goats alive, especially if they've been socialized with people from birth. I'd never leave the horns on a nubian. I can stand in the middle of 28 goats with long sharp pointy horns without a worry in the world, that is, except for the worry that the nubian is going to sneak up from behind me and jump on my back or shoulders to get all the attention.

"Lucy is a great pyrenees and will be our livestock guard dog"

she looks kinda small for a guard dog. heck, i think possums could beat her up

 

[thomsbrain]

My uncle has a pigmy goat, along with 3 dogs, 2 cats, 8 birds, and a 60 pound tortoise. the pigmy goat pretty much rules the roost, what with those big horns. if any of the dogs give her any trouble, she can hook them pretty good. she likes to follow people around, and play by hooking your shoe with her horns. she also likes to eat leaves. sometimes she likes to run a bit, and do little jumps while she jabs with her horns.

she's cute and you can pet her, but she's not exactly cuddly. she does eat tall grass.

 

[Xylitol]

I think that cows rip the grass from the roots which isn't good. Get an animal that only eats the top

 

[mattocs]

My boss said that sheep get the grass nice and short without ripping it out...but I really don't want a sheep. I don't want to have to trim its hair and whatnot. Goats seem pretty low maintenance.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: mattocs
I want to get a goat. I have a section of my yard I don't want to cut anymore...so I figured I might as well get a goat.

What are some calm and quiet breeds? Anything I should know?

I live in a small town, and don't want it to be a noisy goat. We don't have zoning here, so having a pet goat should not be a problem. I will make sure of it before I start building a shanty and putting up a fence.

Thanks for any help!

Yeah, sure.... :roll:

You REALLY read this story Text and are having car trouble, right? :laugh:

 

[acid45]

This thread rocks!

 

[HammerCurl]

Female goat for milk + cheese?

 

[TXHokie]

I'd go for the cow. Then you can have some beef as well (and for the posters just itching to post response about 10lbs/alternator/bulk beef response, just don't ok?)

Artificial turf ftw.

 

[BurnItDwn]

They have goats on the roof at Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant in Door County Wisconsin.
I know, not really related to the OP, but .... they use goats to eat the grass on the roof of the restaurant so they don't have to mow it. It has a sod roof.

 

[Vonkhan]

a 10lb goat? alternator sized?

 

[Turin39789]

I hate it when Dr.Pizza posts about his goats. It makes me want to move a few miles more out into the country and start raising goats. Now I feel compelled to ask him how much his initial investment was and exactly how he got started. Of course I need to finish up my college work and get my plush job as a schoolteacher so I can be just like him.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: mattocs

Originally posted by: Kadarin
So what's the real reason you want this goat?

I think they are neat.

I need to talk my wife into it.

Maybe I should just get it and surprise her?

bad idea...

unless she expects these sort of surprises from you, and finds it endearing
:beer:

gl with the goat, btw

 

[Engraver]

iRobot is working on a lawnmowing robot. It'll probably need a lot more lube than the goat for your intended usage.

 

[piasabird]

Goats eat everything. Trees, bushes, siding, grass, flowers, clothing, you name it. Goats do not make nice pets unless you live in the country. Ever heard the expression "Randy as a Goat"? Well you got in a nutshell.

 

[PepePeru]

have you ever looked at goat's eyes...freaky!

how big is the area youre tired of mowing? what if the goat eats all the grass in one day?

throw some tin cans out there?

 

[JDMnAR1]

Originally posted by: TXHokie
I'd go for the cow. Then you can have some beef as well (and for the posters just itching to post response about 10lbs/alternator/bulk beef response, just don't ok?)

Ah, but properly prepared goat is just as tasty as beef, if not more so.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I don't want to cut the grass anymore.

How do you feel about cleaning up goat shit and feeding/caring for a goat? Lawnmowers are much lower maintenance.

 

[Kaspian]

Originally posted by: mattocs
I want to get a goat. I have a section of my yard I don't want to cut anymore...so I figured I might as well get a goat.

What are some calm and quiet breeds? Anything I should know?

!

Is it lawn grass or do you have mixture of grass, weeds, or whatever? Goats will eat the grass but after they go thru weeds, "leafy bushes," etc. Sheep on the other hand behave more like cattle. They eat the grass and dont pay attention to anything else.


I have about 15 goats (+ or - 1) and 7 sheep and those are the eating patterns that I've noticed in them.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

I don't want to cut the grass anymore.

How do you feel about cleaning up goat shit and feeding/caring for a goat? Lawnmowers are much lower maintenance.

Goat shit is biodegradable!

 

[Modular]

"Hey goat, why don't you run out for a pass"

 

[PingSpike]

I've got a hilly patch by the mound septic that is a real bitch to mow with a pushmower and is to damn hilly for a riding mower.

A small barn with a few animals is part of the plan for the future. I am going to turn that patch into pasture and let the animals handle it.

 

[mattocs]

I would be into the goat cheese and milk, but wouldn't you have to mate your goat? Maybe I don't know how this works...but I thought that it had to have recently given birth or something? ...Because I don't want baby goats...just one.

I would like a cow...but they are to big. The area I have will be 40 x 20 feet or so...just big enough for one goat.

Do goats really eat anything? My friend said they feed his goat table scraps and etc.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: JEDI
"Lucy is a great pyrenees and will be our livestock guard dog"

she looks kinda small for a guard dog. heck, i think possums could beat her up

She spends time with the goats... she's probably averaging a weight gain of half a pound a day or more... Should top out well over 100 pounds when she's done growing. The breed is known for fiercely guarding the animals its kept with, including chasing off bears.

 

[CellarDoor]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: JEDI
"Lucy is a great pyrenees and will be our livestock guard dog"

she looks kinda small for a guard dog. heck, i think possums could beat her up

She spends time with the goats... she's probably averaging a weight gain of half a pound a day or more... Should top out well over 100 pounds when she's done growing. The breed is known for fiercely guarding the animals its kept with, including chasing off bears.

ahhh, good times. I remember when we first got our Mastiff and it gained about 20 pounds a month until it was a good 180 pounds or so. Love them big dogs. :thumbsup:

 

[magomago]

What type of meat can you get from goat? Is it available in bulk ie: 10 lb alternator sizes?