goat lamb

[norseofcourse]

We just bought our first farm and we are debating on whether to get goats or sheep. I know your suppose to get 2 goats so they keep each other company but I want to get 1 male and female goat and 1 male and female sheep. I will house the males together and the females together separate from each other till mating time. Will they keep each other company? Or am I going to have a goat that cries constantly?
I figured this way after a year or two we will know which one we would prefer.

Good comments so far!

It's a lot of work and expense to keep one male for only breeding one female, you have to feed, house and maintain that ram/buck all year round, when he's only actually needed for a few minutes... and I don't know about bucks, but my ram would have a lot of excess, frustrated energy if he only had one ewe to breed. The male sheep can also produce wool, but wool's not usually worth a lot.

One drawback to housing them together is that rams and bucks play/fight differently. A ram will back up, lower head and charge. A buck will rear up and smack down with their head. I'd be way too worried they'd injure each other.

Artificial insemination is easier with goats, if I only wanted one or two goats I'd either find someone local who could do AI, or see if the place I got my does from would let my girls visit for breeding. I'd be leaning towards goats if you want milk, and if you really want wool, maybe a couple wethered sheep.