Anyone run goats and cattle together

[CokaColaCowboy]

Bought a section of land that is very grown up in Oklahoma due to lack of management for many years. Good Bermuda pastures and native hay but also very brushy. Know fencing will be the biggest concern but exploring options for cleaning this place up wanted to see if anyone had experience and insight with goats. Current plan is to spray all the fence lines within the next couple weeks and get them cleared and ready to build a tight fence that will hold goats as well as cattle. Tell me if you've tried the goat route and I'm crazy.

 

[A.J.]

Shouldn't be any issue running goats and cattle together as long as they have space and aren't limited to a confined spot where the cattle might step on or kick them. The goats will go for the brushy stuff, and the cows will eat the grass. The two biggest things in my experience with goats is a good fence (to keep them home and protect them from predators) and internal parasite control (they are very susceptible to worms and can go downhill seems like overnight with them). Sounds like you're planning to put up a good goat-proof fence, so you're on top of things if you decide to go that route.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

We've done it. If you grain your cows at all, the goats can be a pain but nothing that can't be overcome. I'm doing a little test with goats/fence right now. 1348-12 fixed knot is the clear leader over "goat fence".

 

[CokaColaCowboy]

We've done it. If you grain your cows at all, the goats can be a pain but nothing that can't be overcome. I'm doing a little test with goats/fence right now. 1348-12 fixed knot is the clear leader over "goat fence".

What's a rough estimate of price on that?

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

We've done it. If you grain your cows at all, the goats can be a pain but nothing that can't be overcome. I'm doing a little test with goats/fence right now. 1348-12 fixed knot is the clear leader over "goat fence".

What's a rough estimate of price on that?

PM sent.

 

[BrandX]

cowboy where at in oklahoma? we are getting set up in okemah to to that plan.

 

[ddd75]

We've done it. If you grain your cows at all, the goats can be a pain but nothing that can't be overcome. I'm doing a little test with goats/fence right now. 1348-12 fixed knot is the clear leader over "goat fence".

that's what I put up for my goats/sheep/cattle and it was a really good fence.

a little pricey .. a few years ago i was paying 205.00/roll for 330'

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

We've done it. If you grain your cows at all, the goats can be a pain but nothing that can't be overcome. I'm doing a little test with goats/fence right now. 1348-12 fixed knot is the clear leader over "goat fence".

that's what I put up for my goats/sheep/cattle and it was a really good fence.

a little pricey .. a few years ago i was paying 205.00/roll for 330'

What brand did you use, ddd75?
We are a little less expensive, but that's pretty close to fair retail price. A quick Google search, and I've found Class I Galvanized, Low Carbon, 4x4 Red Brand for $219.99. In our real world experience, you'd have to build the Red Brand 10 times to get to the life expectancy of good fence. (In goat pens. Pasture fence, you'd only have to hang new wire 5 times.) Good fence is actually cheaper to build the first time around, and when you figure in the replacement costs after the junk shoots craps, the good fence really cheapens up.






This is some 14 gauge Goucho HT woven. Great deal at $119/roll, so long as you only want to use the rolls for decoration. I used four different kinds of wire on a horse dry lot as a test. All woven wire with no hot strand on top. The two fixed knot sides are the only ones that held up to the abuse. The side with Red Brand HT net wire was worse than the Goucho.
$205/roll really starts to look like a bargain when you compare it to the alternatives, IMHO.

 

[RanchMan90]

$76 a roll here for 330' of 48" netting with 12" spacing. I would avoid the Boer goats here and go with a more Spanish/kiko type or hair sheep. :2cents:

 

[ddd75]

i use stay tuff fence.


using the cattle version now. 660' rolls for 210 / roll.

 

[Bestoutwest]

I've got four strand barb wire with 2 strands of hotwire right now between 1-2 and 3-4. I was planning on running another strand about 4-6" off the ground. I have a 30 mile charger, so things are SUPER hot. I'm thinking this should do the trick to keep some goats in. Thoughts?

 

[RanchMan90]

I've got four strand barb wire with 2 strands of hotwire right now between 1-2 and 3-4. I was planning on running another strand about 4-6" off the ground. I have a 30 mile charger, so things are SUPER hot. I'm thinking this should do the trick to keep some goats in. Thoughts?

I wouldn't recommend it on perimeter fencing. Replace those electric wires with barbed and you may be on to something with tight spacing. :2cents:

 

[ddd75]

I've got four strand barb wire with 2 strands of hotwire right now between 1-2 and 3-4. I was planning on running another strand about 4-6" off the ground. I have a 30 mile charger, so things are SUPER hot. I'm thinking this should do the trick to keep some goats in. Thoughts?

I wouldn't recommend it on perimeter fencing. Replace those electric wires with barbed and you may be on to something with tight spacing. :2cents:

6 strands will hold goats, but they can still get out.

I found 8 strands is the only sure fire way to hold goats with barb wire only.