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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

4 Legged Weed Eaters

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Scott.ID

08-17-2007 09:29:36




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Howdy all~

Not really a tool, but if it helps me accomplish a job I figger it kinda fits.

I�ve got about 30 acres here in North Idaho I need to clean up for our future homesite. About � is too steep to walk on, � is relatively level, and the other half is probably 45 degrees. Everything is covered in scrub ranging from ground cover to pricker bushes, weeds, trees, and everything else that grows wild up here. I want to clean it up and seed it.

Everybody tells me to get goats.

Can goats be kept in a movable electric fence tape type pasture or do they need to be tied up? Will they truly eat everything? What type of goats should I look for? How many? I�ve got a creek that runs thru the property, so water isn�t an issue. Do I still need to feed them? Would a farmer be willing to lend/lease them to me for free grazing?

I�ve got friends who are excavators but I don�t want to pony up 80 bucks an hour plus I don�t want to have a bunch of slash piles. I�ve done what I could with my bobcat but I don�t want to end up at the bottom in a little ball of bent machinery.

Any ideas? Any and all replies appreciated!

Scott

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djm75

08-19-2007 03:54:10




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to Scott.ID, 08-17-2007 09:29:36  
I have no experience with milking goats but if you get meat goats and such the will eat any scrub bushes weeds tree leaves they will even pull the bark of a tree and kill it. around here alot of people use them to get rid of multifloural rose bushes the eat thorns and all. My neighbor has had goats for 20 years and says the same. good luck.



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RichZ

08-18-2007 19:09:07




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to Scott.ID, 08-17-2007 09:29:36  
I don't think that the goats will work for you. Our farm is promarily a goat diary, so I have lots of experience with goats. First of all, goats can't tolerate rain or snow, so they have to have shelter. Also, contrary to popular belief, goats are rather picky eaters. They don't graze, but browse like deer. They will eat what they like and ignore the rest, and there's lots that they don't like. In addition, as was said before, goats pretty much laugh at electric fences and just jump over them.

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Charles (n GA)

08-18-2007 14:02:40




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to Scott.ID, 08-17-2007 09:29:36  
A couple of years ago, I read about a subdivision in California that was, like alot of them out there, at risk of fire from the brush and vegetation which had grown up all around them. Well, these folks rented a bunch of portable fencing and some 30 or so goats and let them work away at it. I seem to recall the the goats were clearing about 2 acres per day.

Charles



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djm75

08-18-2007 04:55:23




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to Scott.ID, 08-17-2007 09:29:36  
goats will clean it up and I have had goats a long time and never had any trouble with them getting out I run 3 electric wires. good luck



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Pooh Bear

08-17-2007 19:25:41




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to Scott.ID, 08-17-2007 09:29:36  
I'm using my neighbors cows for this chore.

What they don't eat the trample down.

I fenced off some overgrown areas in the woods.

I'm seeing things in there I never seen before.

My neighbor was glad to have some extra space for them.

He supplied the fence and I did the work putting it up.

Put a gate in his fence to let the cows come thru.

Now anytime anything grows up a big the come in and eat it.

The cows are doing a better job at cleaning it up than I ever could.

Pooh Bear

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RN

08-17-2007 13:37:00




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to Scott.ID, 08-17-2007 09:29:36  
Your fencing idea is good for about 2 days- a small woven mesh electric fence will work for sheep but a couple goats will get through, around, over it to nibble on something on the other side or just to aggravate you. Need better fence or expect wanderers. Maybe some sheep would get most of it cleared- Dorpers are known to eat most weeds and also browse some like goats. Navaho Churra and Jacobs, Shetlands also eat weeds, not as bad fence climbers. Cattle? Longhorns and Scotts Ox/Highlanders known to eat brush and weeds. Whatever critter you choose, put up a good fence. RN
.

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Fawteen

08-17-2007 17:20:11




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to RN, 08-17-2007 13:37:00  
Second the sheep, especially the Shetlands. I've had 'em for over 10 years now.

Opened up a new area to pasture that was chockablock full of alder brush, raspberry canes and thistles. Figured I "needed" goats to clean it out so I bought a couple.

Sheep ate all the trash, goats ate the neighbor's garden. Barbequed the goats, (actually the guy I gave 'em to did...) kept the sheep.

And the portable electric fence works pretty well with the sheep, as long as you follow all the normal guidelines for installing and maintaining electric fence. Good grounds are critical.

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Lumpy

08-17-2007 10:25:28




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to Scott.ID, 08-17-2007 09:29:36  
Goats will take care of it. They will eat everything but the real bad stuff.



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nballen

08-17-2007 10:08:08




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to Scott.ID, 08-17-2007 09:29:36  
Just about any livestock will eat and/or trample vegetation - if you stock heavily enough and keep them in there long enough.

I've heard that pigs do a good job of clearing, but are harder to contain than cattle. My sisters had goats for a few years while we were growing up, so I can't say anything good about the little buggers.

Where-abouts in N. Idaho are you?

Nathaniel



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woodbutcher

08-17-2007 10:30:54




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to nballen, 08-17-2007 10:08:08  
nballen,
I live in northeast Texas, and I have owned goats. They prefer weeds and brush to grass. With controlled grazing you could get rid of a lot of your undergrowth. In our part of the country, though, predators are a problem. Plan on losing 10% of your herd even with your best efforts. Dogs might help(Great Pyrenees,etc.)
Butch



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nballen

08-17-2007 13:01:54




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to woodbutcher, 08-17-2007 10:30:54  
Well, my sisters' LaMunchkin-X goats didn't eat much besides alfalfa leaves - even with a decent feeder, they would waste 2/3 or more of the hay we fed them during the winter - the cattle and horses didn't seem to have that problem. I remember staking them out, but never saw much progress on the weeds, though.

All in all, the goats just didn't work out for us.

But then, I never was fond of goats, and my (tangential) experience with them then and since has only re-enforced that prejudice. ;~>

Nathaniel

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rustyj14

08-18-2007 12:07:53




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to nballen, 08-17-2007 13:01:54  
What ya have to do is to import goats, etc., from West Virginia! Those animals are great for clearing out fields of brush, thickets, etc. The reason i say West Virginia animals, is this: From climbing around the hills of W. Virginia, all of the animals have short legs on one side, and long legs on the other side! This feature helps them stand up straight, when walking around the mountains, and if your land is hilly, why, they'd be right at home there!

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JTinNJ

08-20-2007 01:11:47




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 Re: 4 Legged Weed Eaters in reply to rustyj14, 08-18-2007 12:07:53  
West Virinia goats need to stay in West Virginia. The hills in other states are sloped in the other direction. That will put the short legs on the down hill side.All them goats rolling down the hills.I don't want to think about it.



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