4 ms·

I have property in a pretty rural area (Anza, CA) and every goat owner I know says that they're actually picky eaters. But these articles I see pop up now and

I have property in a pretty rural area (Anza, CA) and every goat owner I know says that they're actually picky eaters. But these articles I see pop up now and then pretty much prove the opposite...

markdown 4y ago
They will eat all the grass and then shrubs and then small bushes and trees including stripping all the bark. Not animals you want around flora you care about.
- progre 4y ago
  Yep, my neighbours keeps goats next to my propery, they escape once in a while. They go directly to the soft greens in my garden. When the fences hold they eat the area clean by type as you say. First the grass, then the leves of the small trees, then the bark (killing the small trees). Only when there is nothing else left will they eat the nettles.
  - k_sze 4y ago
    I'm not familiar with goats. But this got me thinking: why would the goats even do that? Are they not well-fed? Are they hungry all the time? Do goats eat and poop 24/7 if left unchecked?
    - progre 4y ago
      > Do goats eat and poop 24/7 if left unchecked Yes. Many grazing animals are like this. It's like they have no "feeling full" in their tiny brains. Grass and leafs are not very calorie dense so they kind of have to. Cows or horses can easily eat themselves sick if they are let into high grown grass fields. Where I live the horse owners will sometimes cut the grass in the fields before they let the horses go to it in the spring.
frob 4y ago
I have goats. They are picky eaters. They know what they want and what they don't. They will strip most trees and bushes to the branch. They will eat most grass, but not if it's too tall or has gone to seed or is too dried out. And they'll only eat it down to about 3-4 inches from the ground. There are certain plants I dig out of my pasture because the goats just won't eat them and I don't want them spreading and taking up more space. There's truth that goats will put most things in their mouths. Almost every time I bring something new into their pen, they check to see if it's food. They'll even check me every now and then just to be sure I haven't become food in the past week. So, sure, you might see a goat pick up a tin can for a brief moment, but you'll also see it spit it out 5 seconds later.
- kieckerjan 4y ago
  My gf and I have a plot and are considering goats. There are trees there though, full grown conifers. Will they be at risk? No tree likes it to be stripped of its bark.
- mitchell_h 4y ago
  I recently got into goats. Already have cows, chickens, and pigs on my hobby farm. Goats are without a doubt the most picky. I use pigs and goats for pretty much the same things, land clearing then food. Pigs are pure freaking destroy everything and then still eat what feed you give them. They also tear the crap out of the dirt, but they taste really good. I agree goats are picky the point that if you keep an on them you can catch them before they tear up anything you want to keep(apple/peach trees). Another thing is goats are just dang fun. Pigs and cows are friendly in a dull sort of way, goats have character & personality. One of my goats will come out of his pen nightly just to hang around with me and the kids. When it gets tired of us he puts him self back in the pen.
toast0 4y ago
I've got three goats. They're picky, but mine have a pretty good amount of space and a variety of stuff to eat. They've each got their favorites, but crunchy dry cottonwood leaves and our dominant dandelion-alike are at the top of each list. If you're using goats to clear land, you put more goats per space than the land can sustain, but just for a few days or weeks. The goats will eat their favorite things first, but then also other paletteable stuff. They'll also trample things down pretty good.

I have property in a pretty rural area (Anza, CA) and every goat owner I know says that they're actually picky eaters. But these articles I see pop up now and then pretty much prove the opposite...

markdown 4y ago

They will eat all the grass and then shrubs and then small bushes and trees including stripping all the bark. Not animals you want around flora you care about.

progre 4y ago
Yep, my neighbours keeps goats next to my propery, they escape once in a while. They go directly to the soft greens in my garden. When the fences hold they eat the area clean by type as you say. First the grass, then the leves of the small trees, then the bark (killing the small trees). Only when there is nothing else left will they eat the nettles.
- k_sze 4y ago
  I'm not familiar with goats. But this got me thinking: why would the goats even do that? Are they not well-fed? Are they hungry all the time? Do goats eat and poop 24/7 if left unchecked?
  - progre 4y ago
    > Do goats eat and poop 24/7 if left unchecked Yes. Many grazing animals are like this. It's like they have no "feeling full" in their tiny brains. Grass and leafs are not very calorie dense so they kind of have to. Cows or horses can easily eat themselves sick if they are let into high grown grass fields. Where I live the horse owners will sometimes cut the grass in the fields before they let the horses go to it in the spring.

frob 4y ago

I have goats. They are picky eaters. They know what they want and what they don't. They will strip most trees and bushes to the branch. They will eat most grass, but not if it's too tall or has gone to seed or is too dried out. And they'll only eat it down to about 3-4 inches from the ground. There are certain plants I dig out of my pasture because the goats just won't eat them and I don't want them spreading and taking up more space. There's truth that goats will put most things in their mouths. Almost every time I bring something new into their pen, they check to see if it's food. They'll even check me every now and then just to be sure I haven't become food in the past week. So, sure, you might see a goat pick up a tin can for a brief moment, but you'll also see it spit it out 5 seconds later.

kieckerjan 4y ago
My gf and I have a plot and are considering goats. There are trees there though, full grown conifers. Will they be at risk? No tree likes it to be stripped of its bark.
mitchell_h 4y ago
I recently got into goats. Already have cows, chickens, and pigs on my hobby farm. Goats are without a doubt the most picky. I use pigs and goats for pretty much the same things, land clearing then food. Pigs are pure freaking destroy everything and then still eat what feed you give them. They also tear the crap out of the dirt, but they taste really good. I agree goats are picky the point that if you keep an on them you can catch them before they tear up anything you want to keep(apple/peach trees). Another thing is goats are just dang fun. Pigs and cows are friendly in a dull sort of way, goats have character & personality. One of my goats will come out of his pen nightly just to hang around with me and the kids. When it gets tired of us he puts him self back in the pen.

toast0 4y ago

I've got three goats. They're picky, but mine have a pretty good amount of space and a variety of stuff to eat. They've each got their favorites, but crunchy dry cottonwood leaves and our dominant dandelion-alike are at the top of each list. If you're using goats to clear land, you put more goats per space than the land can sustain, but just for a few days or weeks. The goats will eat their favorite things first, but then also other paletteable stuff. They'll also trample things down pretty good.