Fencing for a goat

[curly_kate]

We are possibly getting a 7 mo old Boer goat, which we would like to use to browse on the number of brushy areas around our farm. First of all, is this a reasonable expectation for a goat? Also, what kind of fencing would you use for this? I've heard goats are pretty clever, and can figure out how to get out of enclosures. Because these areas are in different places, an electric fence that could be moved seems like it would be the best option, IF it would keep the goat in. Also, how sociable are goats? Should we get a second to keep him company?

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

You need to find a second goat before you even bring the first one home.
Pure Misery will ensue for all involved otherwise.

Electric can keep goats in, as long as you have enough strands, and they are spaced close enough.

 

[ksalvagno]

You definitely need at least 2 goats. The mesh poultry electric fencing will work just fine if you have a good charge. Something like Premier 1 sells. Then you could move them all over the place.

 

[pinkfox]

suggestion #1, if the goat you are getting is male get him wethered, you do NOT want an intact male goat when he goes into heat...belive me, most breeders dont even want intact males during rutt.
he will grow just as nicely as a meat goat if hes wethered.

#2, get him a friend a second wether if your just raising for meat/scrub, goats are highly social and a single goat is a VERY miserable goat, its my experience that loan goats tend to cause the most trouble with fence busting too.


goats will eat brush and scrub but some breeds can be picky, quite honestly if your looking for true scrub goats (goats that will eat anything) id look into the TN fainting goats, or the spanish goat, both of which are great for raising for meat but typically NOT picky about what they eat.

boer goats are meat goats, bred to grow fairly fast and very large and can be picky eaters, also depending on the quality of scrub you have available youd probbaly have to suplimental feed.

in terms of fencing, yes goats can be very hard on fences, youll want cattle pannels or sheep/goat fence with well set corner posts (t-posts work well for inbetween corner spans) but put the post on the OUTSIDE of the fence, it will provide more support when the goats stand on and rub against the fence. if the fence is on the goat side and the posts on the outside of the fence youll get more support.

goats are wonderfull if you get the right ones for the job you want done, but i wouldnt suggest an intact male and id never suggest a single goat.
if all you want the goat for is to remove scrub id go with spanish goats, if your looking for meat id go with fainters(mytonic) or boers, but the fainters arnt typically as picky about browes lol.

 

[curly_kate]

Thanks for the tips! He is wethered, but it sounds like boers might not be the way to go. Altho DH keeps insisting we should get meat goats to sell. There's just not a market for it around here.

 

[pinkfox]

they will eat brows, but some can be quite picky lol.
check out the sister site backyardherds.com LOTS of goaty folks over there


the problem with having meat goats is the same as having any meat animal, if you dont eat the meat yourself you need a market for it and if you dont proecess yourself you need a processer/butcher for it ect.

 

[Neko-chan]

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[curly_kate]

Thanks for all the advice! A neighbor suggested "picketing" the goats on a lead. We were planning to bring them in to the barn every night anyway, so we'd be moving them to new scrub daily. Thoughts on this?

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Thanks for all the advice! A neighbor suggested "picketing" the goats on a lead. We were planning to bring them in to the barn every night anyway, so we'd be moving them to new scrub daily. Thoughts on this?

Great caution involved with this. Goats are notorious for finding ingenious ways to try and kill themselves. Hanging by collar or lead are the preferred methods for them.
One method that can work is to tie them to a wheel rim or two.

 

[lorihadams]

I would not tether them...couple of reasons (1) they could hang themselves or get so tangled up they hurt themselves and then you when you try to get them loose again and (2) they are more susceptible to predators and have no where to go if, say, a stray dog(s) should come after them

My neighbor's dog is very sweet but he does come over from time to time and runs up and down the goat fence trying to get the goats to run after/with/away from him

Also, they need shelter from the elements so you may want to think about a moveable hut of some sort so at the very least, they have somewhere to get out of the rain if a storm pops up