[Zoobec]

My 2 goats have started stripping bark off the trees in their paddock, it's got quite a few sycamore trees in their and now they've finished off the ivy and some of the weeds they've started on the bark. Is this due to any deficiency? I give them calf mix and I have started giving them hay again now they are spending a bit more time inside, and the time of year etc. They've got a smallholder lick but they never bother with it!

Also I need to try to protect the trees, anyone got any tips on how best to do it? Mesh wrapped around the trunk or paint something onto the bark?

Having said that now the leaves have started to fall they are more bothered about eating those than the bark today 

[Anke]

Thick wire mesh round your tree trunks immediately! Goats LOVE tree bark, especially if the trees are younger - that's where all the goodies are (nutrient-wise). Also goats are browsers rather than grazers (like sheep), so will always prefer to get the majority of their ration from branches/leaves rather than grass.

Mine get a daily big bunch of branches throughout the summer, and the also love the thin branches of (bare) willow in the autumn/winter - they are kept busy for ages taking of the bark.

[Zoobec]

Yes it looks like we will have to do that, last year they didn't do much damage but they were only 6 months old then, a year has made a lot of difference! I was just worried in case they were deficient, and wondered if there was a less unsightly alternative than mesh round the tree trunk!

[mart6]

Wire mesh works for emergency fix
Have a couple of apple trees in one paddock best cheap fix i found was a few old pallets make a box  with trunk in middle, stops them pulling at some of the branches as well

[Anke]

Wire mesh works for emergency fix
Have a couple of apple trees in one paddock best cheap fix i found was a few old pallets make a box  with trunk in middle, stops them pulling at some of the branches as well

sounds good idea, vertical, non-climbable slats!

[Lesley Silvester]

Mine had a magnolia tree in the middle of their yard when we moved here. Despite fencing it off with hurdles, they managed to strip enough bark off to kill the tree completely.

[shygirl]

if the tree loses too much bark it will die.

[jinglejoys]

Er...you have goats,goats are browsers,they are supposed to have this sort of roughage in their diet,if you want grazers get sheep

[Zoobec]

Er...you have goats,goats are browsers,they are supposed to have this sort of roughage in their diet,if you want grazers get sheep

Yes I'm aware of that, they do have branches and leaves galore to go at, as well as brambles etc. I guess they just preferred the bark on the trunk to the bark on the branches.

We got goats as the land we have has quite a lot of grass but it is part woodland and mostly weeds (docks/brambles/ivy) and it is better suited to goats rather than sheep.

[ballingall]

You need to stop them reaching the trunk- I would be tempted to fence around them. I have a 10ft sycamore sapling I would like to move into the goats field, but I will have to fence so they can't reach it.


Beth

[Lesley Silvester]

And they will make it their life's aim to get through/over/round that fence to get at the tree. 

[Zoobec]

Yes, we've fenced round them now, but yes, now they've tasted them they really want to get to them even more lol!

[Dogwalker]

After laying and re-fencing some of my hedges last year and telling my neighbour to put the fencing twice the distance he thought was ok he's decided they're giraffes not goats.

[Lesley Silvester]

 


My goats think they're giraffes. It's amazing how far their necks can stretch.

[Zoobec]

  yes mine think they are giraffes too I reckon