# Keeping Sheep With Goats?



## foxish (Nov 29, 2009)

Hello all, I am planning for my future herd ... I know I want a couple of dairy goats, probably Saanens, and a few Angora goats.  I recently started spinning my own yarn, and boy is it addictive.  Now I'm thinking that I need to add a couple of Merino or Jacob sheep to The Plan!  I've done a little research, and it looks like I would need to feed goats and sheep separately.  I don't think that would be a problem; I've fed horses separately for years, and a similar setup for the sheep and goats ought to work.  (See that keywork?  OUGHT to work?  We'll see ... )  I wouldn't want the sheep to get the copper that goats need.

However, one thing I haven't found is whether or not the sheep and goats would actually get along.  I plan on keeping wethers or does (obviously the Saanens would be does.)  No intact bucks or rams - I don't want to deal with that!  If the Merinos, Jacobs, Saanens and Angoras were raised together, would they get along and form one flock, or would they always keep to themselves, Jets and Sharks style?

Thanks so much guys!  If I can't have my flock now, I can at least develop extensive plans for the next few years, so when it comes time to do it, I will have delusions of competence!


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## FarmerChick (Nov 29, 2009)

Goats and sheep should do perfectly fine together in a pasture.
Now the rams and bucks you might have a problem....just don't know cause I never kept a ram or a buck together??

Most "any" grazing animals do fine combined.


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## promiselandfarm (Jan 26, 2010)

Our state vet told me that they should not be together during lamb/kidding time ...some disease that sheep have can spread to the goat during this time .... I think it had to do with the blood and something else. He said as long as they are not having babies in the same fields then it should be fine. We do 4-H sheep and own goats(also show them 4-H) and have to have them checked out before the shows... I ask tons of questions to make sure my animals stay healthy.


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