Goats or Sheep

[AKpilot]

So fellow Punatics,

Which do you prefer for a 5 acre parcel. I would have just a few, one for milk and however many I figured I would need for meat. Sheep, or Goats? The place has fruit trees, a garden and a green house.

AKpilot

We're all here, because we're not all there!

[Bullwinkle]

my daughter got some goats being city folk - they let them roam ....woke up to no tires on the car.... goats ate them

......sheep

[rainyjim]

They eat different types of vegetation so depending whats growing currently on your lot one may be more desirable/suitable. I know sheep eat more herbaceous plants and weeds. Goat milk and cheese is obviously highly desirable. To be honest I don't see why you couldn't have both - it would probably take care of a wider array of the weeds with both animals.

Both animals are fairly easy to raise and can largely take care of themselves if fenced in (protected from dogs et. al) however they do have issues in this area as well, off the top of my head i'm thinking hoof rot...they need to have a dry (covered) place to hang out or they can get hoof rot and thats terrible to deal with. I'd say the biggest issue with both is probably your two legged predators - i'm always hearing about peoples goats/sheep being stolen : /

[dayna]

I have both.

Goats are much more difficult to care for. I know. I have 10 goats and 4 sheep.

Dayna

http://www.FarmingAloha.com
www.E-Z-Caps.com

[csgray]

A mix of goats and sheep with a donkey to protect them would take care of keeping all the different types of vegetation under control. But, if goats or donkeys don't have enough to eat they will start to eat anything they can get to, especially tree bark of your fruit trees, but they will also find a way to bust into your and the neighbors' gardens. You cannot have half assed (pun intended) fences with any of these animals: your goats will bust out, and dogs will bust in to get your sheep if you don't have really good fences. If you want milk, some goats have better flavored milk, and diet has a lot to do with the flavor too. For ease of keeping you can't beat a family cow. I've kept goats, and a cow, and the cow was way easier to have as a small scale family use dairy animal.

My place is too small, or I'd get a very young steer and train him to be a draft animal to haul rocks and such, but on an acre I really can't justify it.

Carol

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Sheep are grazers and eat grass or whatever grows on the ground.
Goats are browsers and like to reach up for their food. They are fussy eaters, and will not eat tin cans etc as they are reputed to do, but will nibble on whatever is in range to taste test it, or try to eat it if they are not properly fed and are starving.
Both are social animals so always get more than one.
Goats do not like to get wet, so always provide them with a way to get under a roof. Not sure about sheep and rain.

[rainyjim]

I really like the idea of getting a donkey to protect them.

[AKpilot]

Thanks everyone!

I have been leaning more towards the Sheep end of things and getting a suckling pig or 2. I love Donkeys, even rode one when I was a wrangler from time to time, to get into the tricker parts of the ranch. I would love a dairy cow, just wonder if 5 acres could support her. I grew up on a farm, and my uncle had a dairy herd....it seems kind of like a small amount of acreage for a couple sheep, a donkey and a Moo-Cow.

I seem to remember that sheep wont destroy as much but are not terribly smart, and are quick to die. Goats are bulletproof, smart as a tack, and will eat anything they can get to.

There is a Donkey down at Manini Beach that lives next to my friends. He survived the Tsunami, even though his owner's house was severely damaged

AKpilot

We're all here, because we're not all there!

[Rene Siracusa]

I'm in agreement with most of the above posts. If you want goats for milking, the best breeds for sweet milk are La Manch, Alpine and Swiss Toggenberg. Nubians give more milk but it's not as tasty. And no matter what breed you get, keep the Buck far away from lactating does or your milk will absorb that musky odor.

Goats, especially billies, will eat the moss off your tree trunks and then continue on to munch the bark. I haven't had that problem with sheep.

This doesn't have to be an either/or: a mixed flock can co-exist quite happily and even, on occasion, interbreed. My ram/buck Hapa is a prime example of that.

Another animal to protect your flock could be a llama. There is a herd up north in the Hawi area whose owner might have one for sale.

Re hoof rot: no matter whether you get goats or sheep or both, you will have to trim their hooves from time to time to keep them from curling under. Regular hoof care will alert you to problems early enough to deal with.

Also, check their gums periodically. They should be healthy and pink. If they are getting pale, it is time to worm them.

[csgray]

Rene,
What are the needs of goats and sheep in terms of pasture? As in how many head per acre is reasonable for a healthy herd, and since they eat different things can you have a bigger herd if it is some of both? I really want someone to graze our back half acre but I know these are social creatures and I wouldn't want to get animals the land couldn't support.

Carol