# Weeping willow alright for goats/sheep?



## misfitmorgan

So...the goat pasture has no forage in it per say. Lots of grass but only some autumn olive and other "weed" bushes...no trees at all. So i was wanting to buy a few weeping willows and plant them in the pastures since they grow so fast and the goats could keep them trimmed. We also have a third problem of wanting to expand our pasture back farther but its gets very wet and i though the willows might help dry it up since they love water. The trees would also provide them some shade in the summer atm they only have shade by going in the barn.

Do anyone know off hand if willow is fine for goats to eat? I know Fias Co farm has it on the edible list but does anyone actually have it in their pastures planted there?


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## Goat Whisperer

The girls LOVE Weeping willow 

Haven't had any issues with it. I think the biggest issue you would have is keeping them from killing the tree.


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## Mike CHS

That definitely looks like a Yes they like it picture.


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## Latestarter

Look at those gluttons go! It does appear that they are showing some respect for those hot wires though


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## misfitmorgan

Given how fast ive seen weeping willows grow and the pasture is nice rich black soil that stays quite wet...i dont think it would take long to grow to a "goat-proof" size. They grow 6-8ft a year so by next year i should have a 8-10ft tall tree. i planned on planting them in what will be the new pasture area for the sheep this year as it will be the goat pasture next year. and then i can plant the pasture they are in with a tree next year.....unless i find some way to goat proof the trees. there are a few ideas on that online but they seem like they are for larger trees.


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## misfitmorgan

double post


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## Southern by choice

You must put something around it. No tree will be goat proof if not protected especially if it isn't a forest of trees.

I'll put pics up when I can of what I mean. 

If they like the bark they will eat it eat. Once they eat so much of it the tree will die.


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## misfitmorgan

Southern by choice said:


> You must put something around it. No tree will be goat proof if not protected especially if it isn't a forest of trees.
> 
> I'll put pics up when I can of what I mean.
> 
> If they like the bark they will eat it eat. Once they eat so much of it the tree will die.



Oh i know lol....In their old pasture there was a old maple tree and about 3 spruce trees and 2 cedar trees...the goats stripped all the evergreens down to bare wood. Even the cedar posts we use the goats strip the bark off for us.

I'm thinking i will have to do something like this
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-goatproof-trees.html


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## Goat Whisperer

Latestarter said:


> Look at those gluttons go! It does appear that they are showing some respect for those hot wires though


Oh yeah, they respect it alright
The little half joule charger went out
Only other charger I had at the moment was a 4 joule

hurts like heck lol


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## SheepGirl

Our willow trees are quite tall. Sheep ate the bark off of one and killed it. They haven't touched the other one.


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## chiques chicks

There are also hypothyroid poplar that grow rather fast. They also regenerate from the base, as do some willows. That may work if you are rotating pastures every couple years.


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## misfitmorgan

chiques chicks said:


> There are also hypothyroid poplar that grow rather fast. They also regenerate from the base, as do some willows. That may work if you are rotating pastures every couple years.



As we add more pasture, each will have a longer rest. We aim for min 6 inches of growth before rotating and force them to stay on pasture until they have eatten/walked down the root mass as these are all fields that have no seen livestock in 4+yrs.


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## Baymule

You could use pallets for fencing the trees off from the goats. Or if not pretty enough, you could use horse wire, 2"x4" and they can't get their heads through it to nibble the bark. Set the wire far enough out from the tree so they can't get to it and can only eat the branches when they grow far enough out for the goats to reach.

Another idea is planting willows, I would use regular native willow, in a row, cut and harvest the branches yourself.


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## misfitmorgan

Baymule said:


> You could use pallets for fencing the trees off from the goats. Or if not pretty enough, you could use horse wire, 2"x4" and they can't get their heads through it to nibble the bark. Set the wire far enough out from the tree so they can't get to it and can only eat the branches when they grow far enough out for the goats to reach.
> 
> Another idea is planting willows, I would use regular native willow, in a row, cut and harvest the branches yourself.



i dont mind pallets at al land will probly go with that idea. We have a couple types of native willow as well as autumn olive on the property but they do not grow as fast as weeping willow and since all foliage is within the goats reach they eat them down to nothing but some short twigs extremely quickly. The idea behind the weeping willow is that they will only be able to eat what they can reach there by providing some quick growing shade for them as well. DH also got about 12 pots of king tut grass in trade for some work he did fro a friend of ours and he plans to plant those near the front fence line roughly 3-5ft away which will provide some more shade as well and look nice too. I"m a little concerned though because they can grow as tall as 16ft


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