>Have any experience with them and say bamboo (potentially used for
>fencing)?
Bamboo as a goat fence?... I can't think of a way to make it work.
We grow timber bamboo and the sheep love it. Normally, one thins
it just like a forest and that would open up holes for the goats.
>Actually I will have a dog or two. How about goats raised around dogs
>from a very young age? On another note, *I* wouldn't mix well with
>neighbor's dogs. My personal feeling is that dogs should not be free to
>roam and wreak havoc elsewhere.
When urban sprawl meets farmer the dog problem really heats up. It is
a hot political issue around here and we lost a milking goat herd to
the neighbors pet. If you are in an area with commuters then expect
dog problems.
>How do you prevent it with your sheep?
Young trees are protected by collars and low branching trees have
a few lengths of fence wrapped around.
>Do they produce enough to make the wool a serious consideration?
>quality?
Yes, keeping a few sheep or goats will produce
usable amounts of wool. Julie is quite knowledgeable in this
and can point you to endless references. You can used the
links on her web page (listed in the signature).
>Did they take that much more than your sheep? Other than milking, what
>were the real differences vying for your time?
Both sheep and goats can be milked, spun, and come in many forms. The
big differences might be:
1. Goats browse more than graze
2. Goats are a little more agile
3. Goats can be demanding, manipulative, play mental games with you,
and get hurt feelings.
I know of two goats used for fiber (angora, pigora) and both give
very fine fiber. The pigora has guard hair with is best removed
before spinning. Unfortunately, i know nothing about fiber and this
is just a quote from Julie.
Hope something in this is useful...
jeff
