# Does anyone have a "brush eating" team of goats?



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

This may be in the wrong section, sorry if that is the case. Since I am going to be driving school bus soon, I will have my summers off, and I'm trying to use all the available resources (including my goats) to set up a small scale business of renting out my goats/sheep for brush eating. Does anyone here do that? I have had many people ask about it. I was thinking of charging per the goat/sheep. The great thing is I'll be available to keep an eye on them


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I know they have a program like that in Dallas. Funny to see a bunch of goats in middle of city chomping down viny stuff


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## TOU (Aug 18, 2013)

I wish you luck with your venture & believe there is likely a need. I have even heard of some folks getting government contracts for this service.

That said, I did not take offense and hope you will not either but I feel it important in light of our fight with land use etc...(Packers) to make it clear that this is _not_ considered a "working goat" like Pack & Cart goats. Pack goats are companion animals and not brush goats we do not turn them loose and they are under constant supervision.

Best of luck,

TOU


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

None taken. I just didn't know where to place it is all. I have 2 ober wethers I'm training for packing though, so I look at this section a lot, and it made "some" sense posting here, but I do realize it's not the same thing...


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

I have packers and I have brush-clearers. A few years pack a shephard approached us regarding renting our goats to help him keep the areas he had under contract to keep clean with his sheep free of blackthorne and other thorny bushes that his sheep wouldn't touch.

We decided to stock up on animals = keeping all lambs from one season and worked with him for several years. The wethers are - in my opinion - better suited for brush clearing because, as they get older, they do more long term damage (peeling bark, knocking over smaller trees) than the does.

So, every wether that wouldn't pack could stay to be a brush-clearing goat.

But a word of caution: the shepherd cancelled our services last year and we have now a herd that is larger than our regular pasture can sustain.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Oh, I'm not planning on a huge operation... Just for like back yards, I won't have anymore then about 5-10 and they will be wethers and bucks, no does leaving the place. Thanks for the advice!


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

IMO - if you aren't going to use does, just use wethers. A non goat person might find the.. ahem... "charm" of a buck totally nasty


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Scottyhorse said:


> IMO - if you aren't going to use does, just use wethers. A non goat person might find the.. ahem... "charm" of a buck totally nasty


Haha! You have a point, but I'm going to be doing it when my bucks aren't in season. Either way I guess it could get interesting I just might use the wethers... First time doing it so it will be a learning experience, as I'm finding everything with my goats is a learning experience.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Full size bucks would be ok, but boy oh boy those little guys are stinky all year round!


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I'm thinking oberhasli's


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

TOU said:


> I wish you luck with your venture & believe there is likely a need. I have even heard of some folks getting government contracts for this service.
> 
> That said, I did not take offense and hope you will not either but I feel it important in light of our fight with land use etc...(Packers) to make it clear that this is _not_ considered a "working goat" like Pack & Cart goats. Pack goats are companion animals and not brush goats we do not turn them loose and they are under constant supervision.
> 
> ...


 It is in the correct section remember it isn't just a packing section but also states "working goats" Jeneen128 placed it right.

I would consider a packgoat and a Brush goat, as both being working goats.
A pack goat may be a companion however, they are packing in things for you,right?, that is working as well.

I have a friend that has Brush goats, he has a person that watches them every minute, camps out even in the frigid cold to very hot weather, watching. They have a LGD as well.
Brush goats are not just turned lose and not watched. If there is a large area to trim down, the watchman will actually put up temporary fencing to be there over night or a few days depending on the situation. 
The bucks are left home.

At first Brushing made good money, for my friend, but the economy took a bad turn and so did his brush work.
He had a contract with the government and with some jobs hasn't gotten paid. Or has lost the bid for a job. He ran 100's of goats, from momma's to babies, some were even born out on a run. But watched and cared for. Some were taken back home, when things like this happened.

Having a few goats won't cover big space, in a short amount of time the more you have, the more area covered in a quicker amount of time.

He gets paid per head of goat, which again the more the goats the more the money.

My friend since then, was forced out of the brushing business. As the government didn't want to pay up. Can't live on nothing.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Wow, that's kind of sad that the government didn't pay for the work already done The good thing about my plan is that it won't be my entire income, but just to help off set me not working during the summer, thus me being available to watch my kiddos I'm going to try it, because I won't know until I try it, and it will give my 2 pack goats in training a taste of transportation in a vehicle Thanks for the info


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I think to help with business, I would call them Landscape Service Goats. Sounds more upscale and most people understand what landscaping means. You need people with money to buy your service and they like to feel that they are getting high end service. So the wording of your service is important so it sounds high end.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

ksalvagno said:


> I think to help with business, I would call them Landscape Service Goats. Sounds more upscale and most people understand what landscaping means. You need people with money to buy your service and they like to feel that they are getting high end service. So the wording of your service is important so it sounds high end.


That's a fantastic idea


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Here is an news story on a lady that makes her business on this subject. she has like a 1000 goats and she travels all over doing brush clearing. She is paid per day per goat. She showed me one time that in her contract with most states they say she is ONLY allowed to have Cashmere goats because they eat all the noxious weeds that other goats will not. Since she is paid per goat per day they want the max for their money.

She is based out of WY and goes all the way to CA, Texas and OK and everywhere in between. Colorado uses her a LOT.

http://gazette.com/article/146900


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

The only drawback I would see is that people could have poisonous shrubs that if the goats ate could kill them. So be sure that you walk the entire property and know whats there. 

That said I know of people who have asked if I would rent out my goats to eat down a portion of their yard - weeds and brush. I thought of it a couple times but they always wanted the does when they were pregnant or milking during show season. I dont have wethers. So you having wethers would be very much in your favor.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the advice. I like the name Landscape goat service... and yes I will walk the entire property to make sure there are no poisonous plants around and have CD antitoxin in hand just incase... Im getting excited


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I say go for it janeen! Just be sure to keep us posted on how your goats are doing with a new job!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice given. 

Have fun :clap:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Don't forget insurance...


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Yup insurance is a necessity. 

Also have activated charcoal.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

goathiker said:


> Don't forget insurance... Video Link:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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