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Author Topic: Goats in woodland  (Read 4259 times)

CoombeFarmer

  • Joined Aug 2016
Goats in woodland
« on: August 09, 2016, 07:00:06 pm »
Hi everyone. I have read a lot here and it's nice to say hello!
My Q is this... I have about 4 acres of woodland. About half is old woodland and half is around 15 years old.
It is quite overgrown with bramble and nettles.
I would like to keep goats to help keep the ground clear and also as meat source.
It would require a substantial investment in fencing which I am willing to make.
Do you think that goats would help me here?
Thanks.
Mark

Talana

  • Joined Mar 2014
Re: Goats in woodland
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2016, 10:18:41 am »
Goats would love eating in woodland but the woodland may not love them.  Goats strip bark off trees and can kill them. Normal stock fencing with an electric wire. Mine just have an electric wires so can move grazing areas, so possible to use round trees to protect them depending on layout. They need access to shelter with hay when raining /bad weather. Mine only eat nettles at the right stage normally strip the leaves when they are tall and flowering.
Goats love eating branches and leaves also like stripping the bark off trees so can kill a tree you may need to put tree guards or supervise them to stop them stripping the bark. Standing on their hind legs can reach 6ft for a tasty bit. Mine would go for the branches first before the nettles brambles which they do like as well .

Alex_

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Goats in woodland
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2016, 10:37:55 am »
Building on what has already been said. you will want to double check there are no plants that are poisonous to goats hidden in there.
It would be terrible if there is a plant in there they cant eat but do anyway.
 :goat:

Ina

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • South Aberdeenshire
Re: Goats in woodland
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2016, 10:34:39 am »
And stocking density might be an issue. A goat farm I once worked on left them in woodland for most of the day - only two periods of intensive grazing on grass per day - and the woods seemed to be fine with that; but it was a very large area, so they had plenty to browse on without killing off trees.

Tom101

  • Joined Oct 2016
Re: Goats in woodland
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2016, 11:40:42 am »
As a side note, you could have chickens roaming in the woodland too?  :chook: or piggies  :pig:

mart6

  • Joined Sep 2014
  • Notts / Yorkshire border
Re: Goats in woodland
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2016, 11:03:28 am »
A lot will depend how many goats you have
Went this route myself and here is my experience
2 acres woodland well overgrown majority had 5 ft brambles
Goats loved it for first 2 years never touched tree trunks, then when the brambles were finished
they moved from browsing branches to the tree trunks all young trees took a hit
But they were picky with older trees but soon strip enough to kill them.
Had to fence them out of large areas
Once they start on bark they stick with it.
Also once they cleared the ground nettles really took hold and must depend on breed but my boers do not seem keen on them till around autum time.
In spring they give them a wide birth
« Last Edit: October 26, 2016, 11:06:14 am by mart6 »

 

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