Goats...why or why not?

[Frank]

Yeah, no, this isn't another breeding thread.

Seriously, does anyone have goats? I have toyed with the idea of having some around to keep grass down, pets, milk. Just curious if anyone has any such experience?

[mstng86]

you need a fence made of steel. Any trees or shrubs in the fence will be destroyed. Any foreign object within their reach will be destroyed. They shit constantly and have no control over it.

We left a riding lawnmower in the fence one night. I came back outside the next morning to find they had completely eaten the seat. Leather cover, foam and all.

[Treasure Chest]

Yeah, no, this isn't another breeding thread.

Seriously, does anyone have goats? I have toyed with the idea of having some around to keep grass down, pets, milk. Just curious if anyone has any such experience?

Yes. What do you want to know?

[Frank]

you need a fence made of steel. Any trees or shrubs in the fence will be destroyed. Any foreign object within their reach will be destroyed. They shit constantly and have no control over it.

We left a riding lawnmower in the fence one night. I came back outside the next morning to find they had completely eaten the seat. Leather cover, foam and all.

nevermind. do not want

[Sean88gt]

I hate goats. We had several and a near 100% casualty rate.

[mstng86]

nevermind. do not want

Well, on the plus side, we didn't have to mow the area.

[krazy kris]

They stink, lousy no good tricksters,wide nose having, breathing all the white mans air, eat up all the chicken, and they stink

[46Tbird]

I hate goats!!

Years ago I was having some issues getting my '80 hatchback dialed in. My buddy Jimmy offered to help, so I took my car over to his shop.

He had this f'ing billy goat over there that was real playful. It would stand up on its rear legs, turn its head, and charge you. If you were ready for it, it was fun to play with. You could grab it by the horns and take it to the ground.

Well one day this stupid SOB charges me while I'm bent over the fender of my car. He hit my ass so hard that I dented the fender with my crotch!

Jimmy thought that was pretty funny. But he wasn't laughing a couple of days later when that stupid goat was standing on top of his Chevelle. It caved in the roof and its hooves scratched the hell out of it. Come to think of it, I never saw that stupid goat again.

Did I mention I hate goats?

[G..]

I have two dwarf pygmys and they are a handful. They shit everywhere and as said will eat anything that they see. They will keep kids entertained for hours.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

I had some drag racing friends that decided to get a few goats to keep down the grass on the new land that they built their new shop on. Worked great till one day they pushed the super stock car out to get washed. Found one of the goats standing on the roof of the camaro. He shot that fucker dead right on top of the car.

[Shorty]

The only thing goats are good for is cabrito.

[yellowstang]

I hate goats!!

Well one day this stupid SOB charges me while I'm bent over the fender of my car. He hit my ass so hard that I dented the fender with my crotch!

The dent was from your boner!

[46Tbird]

No, I said it dented the fender, not destroyed the car. This is what would have happened if I'd had a boner.

(apologies to Donna)

[talisman]

No, I said it dented the fender, not destroyed the car. This is what would have happened if I'd had a boner.

(apologies to Donna)

lmao, and I remember you telling me that story before.

[Treasure Chest]

nevermind. do not want

It's also a little more involved if you want to milk them. They will typically dry up within 10 months after kidding. It can be extended with twice daily milking, but it's still limited. They'll also dry up once they're bred, and gestation is a little less than 6 months. If you want continuous milking, you have to stagger the breeding.

On to breeding. Bucks STINK and you have to keep them separated from the does. Does come in monthly until they're bred, and bucks are violent when does are in heat.

Then there's kidding, and de-horning....loads of fun. You don't know true frustration until you've pulled a kid at 4am in the cold.

You also have to consider the mineral content in the grass you have. Fast growing grasses like Winter rye will cause magnesium deficiency, which leads to grass tetany.

I can go on and on.....goats aren't pets or cheap lawn care, they're livestock.