did you know goats eat pretty plants too?

[bj taylor]

we've really been enjoying our new little goat herd. we went through the herculean job of fencing 3 1/2 acres of brush/briar/trees w/secure fencing. we made some little roads through it & around the perimeter. in doing so I've discovered some little trees that are special and now i'm bothered that these goats are going to be eating things I don't want them to.

I saw a little volunteer red bud tree. I want to get a little fence put around it to keep them off. don't know if I can do that or not. I also found what I think is a nice red oak. most of the oaks are post oak & this one is a little more special to me. they've already removed the lower leaves.

how does one communicate to goats what's acceptable to eat and what is not?

 

[thistlebloom]

Haha! You're so cute BJ! Your innocence is so charming!
You will soon learn that goats go for the plants you want to keep first, and then work on all the other stuff in the order in which you value it.

If they are eating it already than today would be a good day to build a fortress around it. And remember that goats love to climb and stand on any thing that will elevate their little pointy heads. So if you fence it off, don't do what I did in my naivety and think a bit of wire fencing wrapped around the trunk will keep them from barking the tree. They immediately used the wire to climb up with their front
feet to get their mouths in a better position for destruction. The wire then slid down to the base of the tree where it got totally smushed.

I love goats, but they are like mammalian pirahnas, and you have to know how they think to get ahead of their antics.

If you can't fence your trees off right away, you may be able to get them to move on to something else by using a repellent. Any commercial deer repellent will work, or even sprinkling the plant with cayenne or something equally repulsive to them. If I could manufacture horse spit I think I could market it for use as a repellent. My goats won't touch anything the horse has lipped first. Even if it's their favorite treat.

I wish you the best!

 

[baymule]

If I could manufacture horse spit I think I could market it for use as a repellent. My goats won't touch anything the horse has lipped first. Even if it's their favorite treat.

I wish you the best!

 

[bj taylor]

thistlebloom, I think I may actually go out there & look at that red bud to see if I could dig it up & move it. they look at my vegetable garden with serious intent. hope they can't learn how to open a gate.
put me down to buy your first horse slobber concoction. you'll make a million bucks. but they are cute aren't they.

 

[Nyboy]

Love red buds nothing is prettier when they are in flower, save that tree!!!