how to train goats

[scottishjohn]

any ideas on how to train goats not to wander off the property 

 

 I got 6 acres of trees and scrub ,brambles ,nettles  etc

 

i know goats will eat anything any one have experience of training goats not just keep on wandering  and coming back if called at night 

 

 other than staking them down or becoming a goat herder

 

[IanR]

You need to fence goats in. And they don't eat anything, they will be quite picky if there's plenty of food. You need to pull any Ragwart out, that's in the area they have access to. If it's growing they should leave it alone if they have plenty of alternative foliage to eat, but if it's dead/dried they'll eat it and it's highly poisonous to them.

 

I wouldn't suggest it, but you can put a collar and chain/line on them and stake them to the ground so they eat a 4m or 5m circle, but you need to move them a couple of times a day, make sure they have access to water and shade.

Edited August 25 by IanR

[trialuser]

We're in a blue tongue temporary movement restriction area.

You are slap bang in middle of the the D&G cases.

I don't think you can move goats onto or off your property at the moment, but you may be granted a licence.

 

 

https://www.farmersguardian.com/news/4361142/bluetongue-updates

[scottishjohn]

forgot about that --farm next door was first case 

[scottishjohn]

1 hour ago, IanR said:

You need to fence goats in. And they don't eat anything, they will be quite picky if there's plenty of food. You need to pull any Ragwart out, that's in the area they have access to. If it's growing they should leave it alone if they have plenty of alternative foliage to eat, but if it's dead/dried they'll eat it and it's highly poisonous to them.

 

I wouldn't suggest it, but you can put a collar and chain/line on them and stake them to the ground so they eat a 4m or 5m circle, but you need to move them a couple of times a day, make sure they have access to water and shade.

yes loads of ragwart about--

 

 

was just a thought --so much land and all sloping thistles can be 4 ft high 

 

 which is not good for me to strim with my bad leg 

 

 cost of fencing could be prohibitive -- and then there the "garden areas" to fence as well

[trialuser]

Do goats respect electric fencing, or snazzy geofenced shock collars?

[scottishjohn]

I did think of keeping chickens as we have loads of wild garlic --maybe a premium selling garlic flavoured eggs?

[scottishjohn]

Just now, trialuser said:

Do goats respect electric fencing, or snazzy geofenced shock collars?

Ive been told they just get angry with electric fences and knock them down 

[IanR]

27 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

was just a thought --so much land and all sloping thistles can be 4 ft high 

 

 which is not good for me to strim with my bad leg 

 

 cost of fencing could be prohibitive -- and then there the "garden areas" to fence as well

I'd use a rough cut mower, it will handle all thistles and most brambles and saplings. Cheaper than fencing.

Bertolinis are at a good price point. Not commercial, but pretty robust.

 

I've knocked back areas with it that haven't been touched for 10 years that had 4ft high Oak saplings and really thick brambles.

[scottishjohn]

3 hours ago, IanR said:

I'd use a rough cut mower, it will handle all thistles and most brambles and saplings. Cheaper than fencing.

Bertolinis are at a good price point. Not commercial, but pretty robust.

 

I've knocked back areas with it that haven't been touched for 10 years that had 4ft high Oak saplings and really thick brambles.

not sure it would be safe on a 40degree banking

 

 good idea maybe look for cutter attachment for my digger .LOL

Edited August 25 by scottishjohn

[-rick-]

2 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

not sure it would be safe on a 40degree banking

 

There are some pretty beefy robot mowers that can keep a large area under control and don't care about the incline (but you'd have to clear it first). Not cheap though.

[scottishjohn]

1 hour ago, -rick- said:

 

There are some pretty beefy robot mowers that can keep a large area under control and don't care about the incline (but you'd have to clear it first). Not cheap though.

spoke to my digger man - he is getting a price for a suitable fail attachment for my digger we will see then depending on price

[scottishjohn]

maybe a robot tracked flail mower?

 any one got one

[-rick-]

3 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

maybe a robot tracked flail mower?

 any one got one

 

Remote controlled things like that exist. Doubt you'd find a fully automated robot though as it sounds too dangerous for unattended use.

 

Jeremy Clarkson hired something similar for brush clearance in Clarksons Farm.

[IanR]

18 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

maybe a robot tracked flail mower?

 any one got one

There's remote operated (rather than robot) tracked flail mowers, starting at about £2K on eBay, but I'm not convinced they have the weight to do the job in brambles etc. The AS Sherpa has a remote control option (as well as ride on) but second hand they're at least £8K. If it was a one off, then Sherpas are often what the hire companies have.

My experience of flail heads on diggers is they're narrow and diggers are slow. OK for hedging, but would take ages to do 6 acres.

[scottishjohn]

24 minutes ago, -rick- said:

 

Remote controlled things like that exist. Doubt you'd find a fully automated robot though as it sounds too dangerous for unattended use.

 

Jeremy Clarkson hired something similar for brush clearance in Clarksons Farm.

remote control is the right term --you walk behind it good distance and control it

 

not sure i would trust an e-bay unless i knew someone that had one

when you see the the professional ones are 30-40k 

price of new digger 

[-rick-]

To be clear when I said robot mower I was thinking of a fully automated set and forget thing. For 6 acres they are still expensive but sensible 4 figures not 5.

 

But they are only going to deal with grass and similar so to get started you'd need something heavier and then rely on them to prevent anything coming back. (They go out every day to keep things under control)

[Post and beam]

6 hours ago, trialuser said:

snazzy geofenced shock collars

Yes that

[Post and beam]

1 hour ago, scottishjohn said:

maybe a robot tracked flail mower?

I have been looking to hire one of these. Forestry companies use them and can clear an acre in double quick time of just about anything short of a fully mature tree. quoted more than £1k though to do my 3/4 acre.  As stated, very expensive to buy and i have failed so far to find one for hire at a price i can justify.

[scottishjohn]

3 hours ago, Post and beam said:

I have been looking to hire one of these. Forestry companies use them and can clear an acre in double quick time of just about anything short of a fully mature tree. quoted more than £1k though to do my 3/4 acre.  As stated, very expensive to buy and i have failed so far to find one for hire at a price i can justify.

£100 an hour with operator

[Gone West]

There's a chap near us that does robotic scrub clearance. Too far for you though.

 

https://www.facebook.com/p/Nigel-Stevens-Scrub-Clearance-61561133578989/

 

 

[Oz07]

21 hours ago, trialuser said:

Do goats respect electric fencing, or snazzy geofenced shock collars?

Yes Clarkson did this on Clarksons farm. Not really revisited so unsure how it worked out for him. 

[Oz07]

Once the restrictions pass do you even need to fence goats in? How much are they? Can you just let them wild and maybe they will stick around your place if its good eating. 

Edited August 26 by Oz07

[scottishjohn]

1 hour ago, Oz07 said:

Once the restrictions pass do you even need to fence goats in? How much are they? Can you just let them wild and maybe they will stick around your place if its good eating. 

talking to a local farmer who had goats --he says no --they will just wander off

[IanR]

36 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

talking to a local farmer who had goats --he says no --they will just wander off

They will definitely wander off. And they need access to shelter, food and water. Domesticated goats are not particularly hardy.