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Weed eating by goat

M

Mech

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Location
Danville CA USA
I am considering doing this.
Have any of you done this?
My old back can no longer handle a weed eater for an area off this size.
I have a couple of acres in the Washington Olympic Penninsula that will have blackberry vine issues if I am not on top of it.
I am striving to be totally green so I will never use any poisons.
No way no how.
My thoughts are...
two goats on a shock collar system with a mini barn as opposed to a pennned up or a chain system.
Yes I know a shock collar sounds kinda mean but if they are locked or penned outside they are are going to be somebody’s dinner.
Thing is we have large predators here,and safety helps.
Thoughts?
Thank you.
Andy.




I am totally green and do my best to do it.
I’m kinda thinking
 
Goats (Capra hircus) are useful for brush and weed control. Their usefulness would be enhanced if their distribution on grazing land could be controlled without herders or permanent fencing. The feasibility of using electric shock collars to restrict the range of grazing goats was evaluated. Electric shock collars developed for canine control were tested as an alternative method for unattended containment. Shock collars effectively contained goats within the designated test area. Goast not wearing the shock collars remained close to the collared goats due to herd instinct, and thus also remained within the test area. Preliminary results indicate that the non-visual fence may make it feasible to develop commercial weed-grazing goat herds restricted to weed infestations by electric collars.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0168159189900166
 
The collars may keep the goats in a certain area, but if the mini barn is not constructed well enough to keep the goats penned in, how does it keep the predators out?
 
I figure I can build a mini barn up to spec .
Might need an alarm or hot wire but it’s doable.
I like that one collar might work.
Never thought about them just staying together.
Thanks for your insight guys.
I appreciate it.
Andy.
 
We keep a small flock of hair sheep (Katahdin). Not goats, but there might be some crossover in my experiences to your concerns.

I know that sheep wouldn't figure out a shock collar system, at least not with a lot of work on training them. They would get a shock and freak out and run until they fell down or got lost. It is tough to train the lambs to a halfway decent electric fence. I don't think goats are as dumb as sheep, but they are flightier, I think.

One thing to consider is that the maintenance on animals like this is physically demanding. too. I keep about six breeder sheep year round, and hoof trimming and deworming and vaccinating is couple hours of cursing a few times a year. The hoof trimming is the worst; I lay them down in their stall, which is physically challenging. Goats might be easier, though, and many are smaller (my sheep are about 100 lb ewes and 175 lb rams, I'd estimate).

If I didn't like eating lamb so much, I doubt I'd go through the trouble involved with keeping them.:)
 
I tried using a dog containment shock collar system with my herd of goats. I started with it on my two "smartest" does. Once they got to the perimeter they would just stand there getting shocked. I don't think they knew where it was coming from. I worked with them, 'training' for about 6 months and they never figured it out. Tried several of my 10 goats. none of them would run towards the barn while getting shocked. They just stood there. Now I just used a three strand portable electric fence. works great for the adult goats. I do think dairy type goats test the electric fence less than the meat type goats.
 
PS hoof trimming on dairy type goats is easy. just get a milking stand and get them trained to use it for some grain. With their heads in the stanchion it is easy to trim hooves and they are elevated so you don't have to hunch over. A carpentry savvy person can build a milking stand in a couple of hours.
 
Hi guys,
So we currently use a shock collar system that has an electrical box hub or what ever it’s called for my sons pit bull.
We can adjust the shock zone by turning a knob.
This works really cool.
As they get closer to the edge it starts shocking until it gets reallly bad.
We used this system on our Austailian Cattle Dog and this dog just laughed at us we even shaved his neck.
Just a tough dog.
I guess I’m going to find out how this is going to work.
I just baught a big ships bell so I’m also thinking of “bell training” my critters to come for treats when the bell rings.
I’m thinking goats,dogs chickens and the whole herd.
Bring them in and lock them down, keep ‘em safe.
Thanks again.
Andy
 
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