Goats vs Sheep

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Goats vs Sheep
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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45692
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 3:48 pm Post subject: Goats vs Sheep
What's easier? We're going to start with a few of either goats or sheep in the spring, what's the best for beginners with not a lot of time on their hands? Pros and cons of either appreciated.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 3:58 pm Post subject:
We're thinking about a goat. But being on hand to milk it daily is something we need to think very carefully about.

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:00 pm Post subject:
No doubt Gervase will wax lyrical on this later (his fiddling with molten metal in the workshop at the present moment) but I know what his first word will be... "SHEEEEEEEEEEP!" However, Anna-Marie will say quite the opposite

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45692
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:01 pm Post subject:

Jonnyboy wrote:

We're thinking about a goat. But being on hand to milk it daily is something we need to think very carefully about.

We don't want to milk anything

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:02 pm Post subject:
You don't want goats then. Unless you get some castrated Billies to raise for meat.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45692
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:03 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

You don't want goats then. Unless you get some castrated Billies to raise for meat.

Righto, can you keep a few of them together?

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:05 pm Post subject:
Think so, but my experiences with goats were thirty-odd years ago. I'm sure one of the goat-keepers will be along to tell you.

Marionb

Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 5267
Location: Mid-Wales

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:32 pm Post subject:
Definitely sheep Much more docile, better behaved and the lambs are worth more than kids.

caths

Joined: 20 Oct 2006
Posts: 164

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:41 pm Post subject:

depends on what you can tolerate:

goats hate the rain and do need sheleter from wet and windy weather
goats need regular foot trimming and care
goats are born with the inbred belief that they should be on the other side of the fence
goats can jump fences when you are not looking and then pretend they couldn't walk over a two foot pole
goats will plan their escape for hours
goats are browsers rather than grazers so will wreak havoc in the neighbours garden if they ever get in there (believe me, I know!!)
you need a sense of humour!
you would probably not want to keep an entire billy because of the smell

sheep are a lot more simple, and apart from the mountain and hill breeds are less inclined to escape - standard 4ft sheep net fences are adequate
The downs breeds are very placid, especially ryelands - even the rams are easy to handle
some breeds have natural resistance to foot rot etc
it is easy to bucket train a few to get them into handling areas easliy
unless you go for a breed that sheds its fleece (eg norfolk horn) will need shearing - can be hard to get someone to do just a few
BUT sheep can easily get fly strike despite preventative treatments - ie maggots! someone will need to have a strong enough stomach to clean these out of the would they will make - and someone else will have to hold the sheep!

I have both and like both, but would have to say sheep for an easlier life!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45692
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:44 pm Post subject:
Thanks guys, looks like sheep are winning so far, where's Nanny?

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:46 pm Post subject:
SHEEP! Sheep! (is this a trick question?) SHEEP

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:53 pm Post subject:
Get Hebrideans, then you can have the best(?) of both worlds!!!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45692
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:53 pm Post subject:
Woss one of them?

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 4:55 pm Post subject:
One of these.

hedgewitch

Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Posts: 5834
Location: Daft wench GHQ

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 06 5:05 pm Post subject:
Ooooh - pretty sheep! They look interesting

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