[Blackdane]

I've already posted on the sheep section of the forum about info on sheep and people's experiences with them, but i don't want to rule out keeping goats. So i thought i'd better ask the same question again but to the goat owners out there. I'm from the southwest, and have a small amount of land of about 20 acres in total and would like to use it for keeping livestock. In the past i have worked on cattle farm's, but think that goats or sheep would be a better choice for what i have.

What i would like to know is what breed of goat is good for the climate where i am, hopefully something hardy, i'm not so worried about size, also an easy kidding breed would be better, etc...
Are certain breeds more prone to breaking out of fields than others? As that's one of the only things that does worry me about keeping goats, is there prone to testing fences.
Any advice would be great. 

[jinglejoys]

I think that if your initial ring fence is goat proof your worries are lessened.Also walk the boundaries with them (Although the first lot may not take much notice the second generation will learn faster to be hefted)and put electric fence about upper chest height and 2' from the outside fence to prevent rubbing pushing and climbing,it'll make the fence last longer.
   Have an initial goat yard for shelter,feeding,and keeping in in emergancies and put plenty of play things in for them to bounce on which will keep their basic instincts fulfilled.
   As to breed it really depends on what they are wanted for.

[plumseverywhere]

Second all that Jingle joys has said.

As for ones that escape more, I've heard that Anglo Nubians are a bit of an escape artist but don't know from personal experience. I think all goats will keep you on your toes especially if they find a weak spot in the fencing (same with sheep!). We have Toggenburgs and a saanen |Cross. The Saanen spent her 'teens' being very naughty and permanently out - agh! now though we have mastered the fencing and found that if she gets bored or if her hay is low she will try to get out so we have to keep that topped up!
do you have any goat keepers local to you? (we're in worcestershire if that's any help - you can see our set up).

[mart2671]

Really depends on what you want them for milk meat or wool. Boers or x for meat , Angora for wool , Then you have all the milking breeds Saanens/British Saanens (bigger then the pure bred cousins ) Toggenburg/British Toggenburg , Anglo Nubians (Jersey/Guernseys of the goat world), British Alpine , Golden/English Guernsey, and English and pygmy. All have there own speacial traits lots of info on there breed websites and the British Goat Society website .
With goats you have to remember they are not natural grazers they are more browsers so love to be in hedges, i would always advise a strand of electric fence around your fields once they get use to it can b switched off more than often.They also need shelter as there not keen on the rain .Well mine never were  .
I no longer keep goats but bred and exhibited them in the 80s.90s and early 2000, iam in Devon if you need any advise .
Martin

   

[Lesley Silvester]

British alpines are described as 'challenging'.  Sanaans (which I have) are very placid.  The only time I have had break outs is when in season.

[sokel]

I have kept Pygmys, British Sanaans , and british Toggs and Alpines . at the moment we have British Toggs , BS x BT s and Boers
Not had any problems with goats escaping except the Alpine.and one of the pygmys  Just lets say alpines can keep you busy 

[mart2671]

Never found my BA,s any problem at all , found they all respected the electric fence . 

[zarzar]

hi all
mart2671 im in somerset and looking for a couple milking goats in the near future do you know of any goat farms or breeders around the local areas 

[goatwriter]

Hi, having read your post with interest I would like to offer advice if this helps. I too live in the south West(Cornwall)having migrated here from East Anglia 8 years ago. I kept a large commercial herd in East Anglia, for the most part living out with shelters. the breeds were basically dairy types(Nubian,Saanen/Toggenburg and their outcrosses) with some Angoras used for fleeces and cross breeding for meat. In East Anglia which is the driest place in our currently saturated country, this regime worked and worked well. Since my move to Cornwall it has become increasingly difficult to keep goats outside. the reasons are numerous but the most obvious one is rain and wind. The combination of the 2 even in mild temperatures is a killer for goats. Regarding grazing, there are so many alkaloid plants in the South West that you must be very careful about what the goats feed on. All ferns, evergreen plants and many marginal plants are extremely poisonous and can kill either instantly or accumulatively.
If your plan is to utilise your 20 acres for goats my advice would be to divide it into 3 parcels and provide 2 or 3 shelters in each(or use towable units and move them from area to area as you rotate) facing in different directions to offer shelter from all sides. You will almost certainly need a facility to pen the goats in either in those shelters or in buildings associated with your holding. Rotating the goats between the 3 areas will reduce the problems of helminths(worms) and also allow you to rotate your kids each year to a new area in order to avoid the risks of coccidiosis. If you require more assistance, please feel free to email me direct at [email protected]
With best wishes, Felicity

[Anke]

and have a small amount of land of about 20 acres in total

I wouldn't describe 20 acres as a "small" amount of land... You could run a commercial goat enterpise from that....