BYH Official Poll: What are the things that you should consider before buying herds?

[Green Acres Farm]

Also be sure to have test results in hand for the animals you're bringing home. Do not ever ever bring an untested animal to your property. Some diseases live in the soil for years! Demand test results for the prevalent diseases of the selected animal. Never take anyone's word for it. Walk away if a seller balks at testing.

YES!!!

 

[Green Acres Farm]

Make sure you buy the animals from a reputable breeder, and preferably the animals should be pedigreed purebreds. You can expect optimal performance and get it with purebreds; with mongrels, you cannot expect what kind of results you will get.

Not necessarily.

Just because something is "purebred" does not mean that they will perform at the same standard of another animal of the same breed.

Look at their and their close relative's traits and decide if that is what you are looking for.

 

[DutchBunny03]

Purebreds have pedigrees. Pedigrees list the ancestry of the animal, and also contain notes about the performance of its predescesors(show winnings, special titles, any outstanding characteristics). If the pedigree is completetely filled out, the animal has a good chance of being a good one, if so many other great animals were in its ancestry.

 

[Support]

This is becoming a great discussion guys! Keep it coming!

 

[promiseacres]

Good input, really shows how your needs and intentions should direct your choices.

 

[Saxxon]

I am working on buying land out east of Denver. My primary purpose is for dog sports, lure coursing mainly but also leasing the field for agility, training etc to others. This will require making a field that is well maintained and irrigated. It also requires me to vanquish the bane of the dogs, Goats Head weed, puncturevine etc.

I understand that goats (the animal) are great weed eaters, so with a good sized acreage they should have plenty to graze on aside form being brought in to munch out invasive species. However, I don't know a lot about raising goats and its not really what I am looking to spend my time on but given the option between having them happily chew thru my weed problem or trying to manual weed acres myself I'd defer to the goats.

I understand coyotes can be a problem, probably not for my 6 shepherd dogs, but they haven't been raised as herders and are as likely to chase the goats so they'll be segregated. But coyotes, now those I understand find their way thru a lot of fences. However, that might be entertaining when I am home - rifle, suppressor and night vision will serve to cull the varmints on that score. When I am not home they could still be a problem.

 

[DutchBunny03]

Your dog's smell may be enough to keep coyotes away. My dog is not a LGD, but has done alot to keep predators away from my animals, just by existing. The coyotes will smell your dogs, and that may keep them away, but you may want to train one of your dogs to guard your goats, or buy a LGD puppy.

 

[NH homesteader]

Not to be a downer but if you're not looking to spend a lot of time learning and taking care of your goats they might not be the best animal for you. They do take a fair amount of care and can be finicky. But if you decide to get goats I would go with really hot electric fence top and bottom of a regular fence. If you get a puppy to guard them that's more work you have to put in (you can't just plop them in with the goats and leave them to figure it out) . Read other threads on here, there is a ton to learn about goats!

On the other hand sometimes you'll see people hiring out their goat herd to eat weeds for people. Maybe look into that?

 

[CntryBoy777]

Something I will 'Add to the Pot'.....if one isn't willing to attend to there animals....ya better make real Sure that there is a Vet that will Treat them...before we got our goats I asked the Vet if they treated goats....they assurred me that they did....got the goats and took them to the Vet to have them tested and checked over...and vaccinations.....was informed that they didn't do those things.....Crazy!!....now, I'm reading and feel like I'm studying to be a Vet Tech....and a Botanist too!!....if there is a lack in Experience try to find someone to Help....seeing an operation can be Invaluable!!

 

[Southern by choice]

One thing I feel is very important is to make sure you have access to a veterinarian. I see @CntryBoy777 did do that but the vet was not really a good goat vet. As you seek a breeder etc ask for referrals for vets. Most farm vets have their specialty.

Having a good mentor that knows health care of the species you purchase.

Automatically building a quarantine pen when you start fencing.

Thanks!!! I have rabbits, so a LGD is not really neccessary. But I have heard that they are very useful for goats, sheep, and alpacas. Is animal theft a problem in your area?

Yes, the country doesn't make you safe from it. Crazy what people do.

Theft is something I worry about as we do butt up to a relatively busy road, (the only side non highway road to get to the city of Longmont). What do people do to prevent it? I have camera's all over the property and electrical fencing around the perimeter. Is there more precautions we could take?

I think you're good with cameras and electric fence @Alexz7272

We live on a back road and our house is set back from the road, no one can tell if we are home or not and we target shoot fairly regularly. No one will mess with my animals.

I do worry about coyotes. They've never bothered us but someone up the road had them sneak into their horse pen where the chickens hang out and take 15 chickens. One at a time. Eek.

Cameras only help you to identify once the theft has already occurred. Hot wire is a mild deterrent.

The LGD's protect from both human and animal predators. Our dogs barks are different for type of predator.