I'm still wandering wether sheep or goats+geese would be more satisfied with grazing and browsing our our gardens - approximately 3/4 of an acre. Some of it is grass with a lot of weeds, some is woodland with a lot of tree saplings, brambles growing back and ivy.
I have geese and chickens which keep the grass short but not weeds, brambles or young trees.
My options are
1. Boreray or Shetland sheep
2. Goats - dairy, angora or pygmy
One thing I'm worried about is overgrazing. If sheep would overgraze the grass would they be likely to get copper poisoning?
Goats being browsers would be less likely to overgraze grass itself?
I don't mind giving them a permanent hay feeder even it it would be for most of the year.
Also what breed of goats would you recommend? Which ones are actually popular for smallholders? I'd love to have a dairy animal but for example saanen are quite large, what height of fencing would be necessary to protect younger fruit trees? I could have one dairy goat with a pygmy companion...
Whether they are goats or sheep they will be taken to the allotments next door for more grass and browsing on weeds and low branches of old fruit trees.