# Best goat to clear brush



## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

which is the best goat breed to help in the clearing of very dense raw land? We live in north central Texas so our summers tend to be hot. We have 18 acres that need to be cleared. Too many weeds and we thought that goats would be the best option for us.


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## Madgoat (Jan 8, 2017)

A live one! :cowboy:


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Standards can clear higher browse and eat more. I would personally go with Alpines. But LaManchas and Saanens have less of a tendency to jump the fence


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> Standards can clear higher browse and eat more. I would personally go with Alpines. But LaManchas and Saanens have less of a tendency to jump the fence


Thank you so much for the response. My husband and I were told to get the Nigerian Dwarf Goats, but after reading up on them, it seems that they are susceptible to getting sick off of any type of weed that we will more than likely have on our land. What is your opinion on them? We have children, so we thought they would love the Nigerians, but not so sure now.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Different breeds aren't more susceptible to poisonous plants than others. 

If you like Nigerian Dwarves, go for it  I probably wouldn't go with NDs, but when it comes to breed it's really just personal preference. My NDs were extreme fence jumpers so I ended up selling them. But not all NDs are that way.


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> Different breeds aren't more susceptible to poisonous plants than others.
> 
> If you like Nigerian Dwarves, go for it  I probably wouldn't go with NDs, but when it comes to breed it's really just personal preference. My NDs were extreme fence jumpers so I ended up selling them. But not all NDs are that way.


How tall were the fences you had for your NDs? What about the temperament of the Alpines? Are they good with small children?
I really like the NDs, but just wanted to make sure we are getting the right goat for us.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

All goats will do it just buy from a place that runs their goats on brush and brows. Trust me on this if you buy dry lotted or pampered show goats you will have them stand there for a week begging for hay.
I would try and stay away from dairy if they are in milk or prego. It's not that they won't clear it it's that their udders are so large and can get cut up fairly easy. I myself went with boers and crosses. They are pretty tall and can reach high


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Jessica84 said:


> All goats will do it just buy from a place that runs their goats on brush and brows. Trust me on this if you buy dry lotted or pampered show goats you will have them stand there for a week begging for hay.
> I would try and stay away from dairy if they are in milk or prego. It's not that they won't clear it it's that their udders are so large and can get cut up fairly easy. I myself went with boers and crosses. They are pretty tall and can reach high


Thank you. I truly appreciate all of the input I can get. I am truly a novice at this. 
As far as penning them at night goes, should we keep them penned in order for the coyotes mountain lions and wild pigs from getting to them too easily??? We are also thinking of buying a young donkey to raise with them and keep them safe.


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## New-goat-mom (May 21, 2017)

I have a very small 6 y/o and he loves my standard sized goats and they love him. I just love how gentle my boer girl is. ..she's seriously the sweetest animal ever, and I have heard that's pretty common boer personality. I live just South of San Antonio and haven't had any problem with my girls handling the heat if you are concerned about that.


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Oh that awete


New-goat-mom said:


> I have a very small 6 y/o and he loves my standard sized goats and they love him. I just love how gentle my boer girl is. ..she's seriously the sweetest animal ever, and I have heard that's pretty common boer personality. I live just South of San Antonio and haven't had any problem with my girls handling the heat if you are concerned about that.[/QUO


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Oh that is awesome to hear. I have 3 and 5 yr old boys. I have a friend whom also has the boer goats. She loves them. We just thought that the Nigerian dwarf goats would be better for us since we have small children and they are docile animals. Thank you so much for all your information. If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to let me know.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Terrie Hunter said:


> How tall were the fences you had for your NDs? What about the temperament of the Alpines? Are they good with small children?
> I really like the NDs, but just wanted to make sure we are getting the right goat for us.


How they do with kids mostly depends on the goat. We got a dam & daughter pair when the daughter was just a couple months old. The dam wasn't raised with kids - she will knock them over and stomp on them... Yes this has happened  The daughter loves kids though, she is as sweet as can be. So either go with goats from a farm that has kids or get younger goats.

My fences were electric in some places and 5 ft field fencing in others. The would climb the field fencing, and jump between the lines of the electric. The electric needs to have a very hard shock to teach them a lesson.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

My LaMancha goats love my grandson. I can trust even my buck to always be sweet and careful of him. These goats don't live with children either, they are just exceptionally mild mannered. 
My daughter and I both had to clear out all Nigerians. They were not gentle to children or other goats. They literally bit my grandson, only goats I have ever owned that bit for meanness. 

In a world of ordinary people a superman is not a king. 
He cannot rule the world. 
He is simply alone... 
Dean Koontz


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Oh yes! You for sure want to pen them up at night. Depending on what kind of wild animals you have on if you want a barn but I mostly have coyotes and bob cats and just a open shelter in the middle of the pen is just fine. My coyotes are really not that brave and do not like anything that looks like a trap.
But when you get your goats teach them to come to you. You can use a small amount of grain or hay, something yummy and just come up with a call for them. Mine is a simple come on girls. Every time they get their grain or hay call them even if they are standing right there. Try and also do it at night so they know it is coming. This will make life so much more easy. Mine will come in right before it gets dark on their own and if they happen to get side tracked they will come, no gathering them up. I use hay though but I also have 70 head and they will try and kill me over the grain, plus I like the idea of going to bed with a full stomach


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> How they do with kids mostly depends on the goat. We got a dam & daughter pair when the daughter was just a couple months old. The dam wasn't raised with kids - she will knock them over and stomp on them... Yes this has happened  The daughter loves kids though, she is as sweet as can be. So either go with goats from a farm that has kids or get younger goats.
> 
> My fences were electric in some places and 5 ft field fencing in others. The would climb the field fencing, and jump between the lines of the electric. The electric needs to have a very hard shock to teach them a lesson.


So, did you have the Nigerian Dwarf Goats???


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Yes.


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Jessica84 said:


> Oh yes! You for sure want to pen them up at night. Depending on what kind of wild animals you have on if you want a barn but I mostly have coyotes and bob cats and just a open shelter in the middle of the pen is just fine. My coyotes are really not that brave and do not like anything that looks like a trap.
> But when you get your goats teach them to come to you. You can use a small amount of grain or hay, something yummy and just come up with a call for them. Mine is a simple come on girls. Every time they get their grain or hay call them even if they are standing right there. Try and also do it at night so they know it is coming. This will make life so much more easy. Mine will come in right before it gets dark on their own and if they happen to get side tracked they will come, no gathering them up. I use hay though but I also have 70 head and they will try and kill me over the grain, plus I like the idea of going to bed with a full stomach


Thank you so much for all the information. Do you suggest getting a donkey for extra protection? Or do you have dogs that stay with them???


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Most people seem to have a Llama or large Alpaca. 
Donkeys can be problematic as can young dogs. 
If I needed a guardian animal, I would choose a Llama. 

In a world of ordinary people a superman is not a king. 
He cannot rule the world. 
He is simply alone... 
Dean Koontz


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Really??? I have seen Llamas in with the goats before, but I had always been told that the donkeys are the best. I am glad I asked. Thank you.


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Wow, I am just finding out all kinds of information on here. I am so glad I joined. You are the second person to suggest the LaManchas. I will do some checking into the breed.

I appreciate your advise.



goathiker said:


> My LaMancha goats love my grandson. I can trust even my buck to always be sweet and careful of him. These goats don't live with children either, they are just exceptionally mild mannered.
> My daughter and I both had to clear out all Nigerians. They were not gentle to children or other goats. They literally bit my grandson, only goats I have ever owned that bit for meanness.
> 
> In a world of ordinary people a superman is not a king.
> ...


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

My daughter just sent these pictures of her young buck. My grandson will be showing him next year. 
































In a world of ordinary people a superman is not a king. 
He cannot rule the world. 
He is simply alone... 
Dean Koontz


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Donkeys are good protection, but they often kill the goats even if it seems to be going well for a while.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I can't answer the guard animal. Mine don't have anything but again the coyotes are not bad. The only time I had a issue was with when I let the kids out too, they would grab kids and run. They don't run in a pack and I think the subdivision behind us keeps them fed pretty well with their cats. I have heard horror stories over donkeys, I myself would never get one. Dogs I can't do because my goats hate dogs and beat the crap out of the ones I do have if they get close to them. I do have a alpaca that stays in the pen but she wouldn't be much help. My ranch is actually a cattle ranch and is split up with barbwire which the goats can just go under so a llama wouldn't work out but I really think that's what I would go for if I had a different set up. They look creepy and even the alpaca just standing there will keep the cows and horses away lol but a llama has the size to do something if something did get brave enough to test them.


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## intrepid-dreamer (Jan 2, 2017)

My lamanchas are the sweetest. My mom posted pictures of my son and my buck yesterday. They are inseparable. Zander follows my son everywhere when they are together. All my lamanchas are good with him, but my buck seems to be particularly careful to watch over him.


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## ForeverBoerd (May 3, 2017)

We have boers, and they're all the sweetest things ever. They think they're dogs and some even know tricks! Boers do get pretty big, but not aggressive if they're treated well and handled from an early age (in my experience). As far as a guardian animal, goathiker is right. Dogs aren't always naturally well behaved with goats and donkeys seem more likely to be aggressive or aloof towards them. Llamas can also eat about the same food as goats, so if you're feeding any grain you can just get one kind.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Donkeys can be great protect tors, they can also not work out and actually attack your goats, depends on the donkey. Start with locking them up at night and see what you can manage.


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## Terrie Hunter (Jul 18, 2017)

Thank you for all the input on the donkeys. I think we will try do go without any type of guard animal and see if that works out. If we decide we need one then we will go from there. Thinking more of a Llama for us.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Here is DH's "elves" on a camping trip. 























In a world of ordinary people a superman is not a king. 
He cannot rule the world. 
He is simply alone... 
Dean Koontz


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