# # of goats per acre???



## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

i have about 4 acres that are considered pasture. the lower pasture is all grass about 1.5 acres and the rest is hillside with a mix of grass and stemy weeds. how many goats could i keep and not just eat everything to the ground? I would be looking more towards meat goats.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

That's always a hard question to answer...I would begin with six meat goats and then after on season purchase more if your land can support them. Six is a safe #. I'm sure you know goats don't eat everything so your acreage will need to be mowed yearly. Keep in mind your 4 acres will not feed them year round so plan on buying hay and grains.

Are you a retired Coastie also?? Just figured by your screen name....


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

That is so highly variable by area. It also depends on how much hay and feedstuffs you want to buy, or how much banked forage you want to try to feed off your land.

The way I'd find out about max carrying capacity in your area is to ask your county ag agent how many cow-calves can be grazed on an acre locally. In MY area, that is one cow-calf per acre. If I conservatively use 5 goats to equal a cow, and 2 for a calf, I get 7 goats to the average acre (which is really about what my experience shows it'll handle here in my area without being totally grazed out, though you can run higher numbers but be harder on the land).

Try that approach for your area's numbers.

Then when you get in that ballpark, decide how much stockpiled grass you want to feed vs. how much feed and hay you want to buy. I urge caution on maxing out your land with animals and buying lots of hay and feeds. You are better of financially to buy goat meat that way! And you open big risks that you will have to force-liquidate in poor rain years.

So let's assume for an example your numbers turn out to 7/acre, like mine. That means you can run 28 total head on 4 acres, with no stockpiled grass. But you are gonna get in trouble in drought and you are gonna get socked by feed bills if you run 28 head, believe me. If it were me, I'd run about 8 or 9 total head on that kind place, and rotate pasture by fencing it into 5 paddocks.

This plan would mean I have enough to also carry up to 16 kids max to weaning before I had to sell some or all of them, and also would extend my grazing season by stockpiling grass in paddocks, cutting my hay and feed costs in late fall-winter-spring. It also provides me some insurance in drought years that I will have adequate grass to maintain my herd without having to buy a lot of hay at drought-high prices, or having to liquidate my herd cuz of grass shortage.

Anyway, some things to think about. But it all starts with that animal unit per acre. Most ag agents don't know the answer for goats, but they can tell you cow-calf right off the top of their heads. Use that as your base. Hope it helps.


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## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

Thanks for the responses! i am wanting to start out with 4 or 6 boer or boer x and was just a little concerned about numbers. i will by no means have that many but would like some. A little about my screen name my first name is Craig and i have been in the security personal protection industry for just shy of 20 years therefore the guard part of the name is for that. I am not a coastie although i have the utmost respect for people in our armed services so sorry for the confusion and again thanks for the answers!


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

No big deal Craig. Thought you were an old salt like me...Your land will easily support 6 or less Boers, regardless of the lands health. One thing most people don't consider; Some land is perfect for cattle, who are generally grass grazers, while another piece of land (same size) would be ideal for goats who are primarlly browsers. Think plant life variety then think goats...No other kind of animal can keep your property clear, give you milk, meat and entertainment like goats...


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## HazyDay (Feb 20, 2007)

I was told that 1 acre can feed 10 goats all year (if you live where there is no snow) but I would still feed hay and grain. So you could get 40 goats in that. But start out with a few breeding does and let them slowly breed up. (I diddn't do that! I got goat fever and got 2 does! Now im at 4 does and 2 bucks(bucks for sale) so becareful!) I got more because only having 1v kidding was not for me! I want doe kids (stupied bucks!!!!!!!)


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## janceejan (Sep 21, 2005)

Just caught your thread. We have 10 acres, typical west texas...mesquite, weeds and prickly pear. We started with 3: 2 preg and a bottle baby buck. Needless to say, made no dent in clearing. After the babies came we were at 7. Still no dent. These were very picky boers.

Brought over 16 of my friends boer/spanish mix and things started to improve. Her mixes were not picky and would eat anything. Went through a birthing season last year and added 19 more kids to the place and it still held up.

Removed her 35 goats, took over 6 from a sister in law, bought back 8 of those from my friend, took in a cripple wether, went through another birthing season, adding 23 kids more.........lol.............now have a total of 43 on the place....21 babies, 18 does, 3 wethers and Big daddy Wrong Way.

Add no rain for months on end.......6 round bales of hay later......rain came this week. When they started to eat it cleared in no time.

We have finally asked for advise...a newbies problem...and believe 1 per acre will be all this place will support with only minimal supplementing during dry spells.

Needless to say.....the sales have begun and we will be moving many out soon. Hard part is deciding who will go.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

CGUARDSMAN said:


> Thanks for the responses! i am wanting to start out with 4 or 6 boer or boer x and was just a little concerned about numbers. i will by no means have that many but would like some. A little about my screen name my first name is Craig and i have been in the security personal protection industry for just shy of 20 years therefore the guard part of the name is for that. I am not a coastie although i have the utmost respect for people in our armed services so sorry for the confusion and again thanks for the answers!


Look here for the carrying capacity of your property. It will show all the soils and their AUM. 1 AUM = 1000 lbs of bovine per acre. 

Here is a link.
http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/WebSoilSurvey.aspx


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