# Any breed of sheep good for clearing up brush?



## oz in SC V2.0 (Dec 19, 2008)

We are almost to the point of getting something to clear out the brush,looking at goats naturally but though there might be a breed of hair sheep that could do the same and maybe not be so hard to fence.

Plan is to erect cattle panels around the area,let them clean it up and then move on to a new area.

Looked at blackbelly's,not sure if they would work.

Thanks.


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## ONG2 (Sep 22, 2010)

We have black belly and 3 goats. We can now see land that we never could before.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

The Soay I had did a very good job. 
The Katahdin I have right now, seems to eat just about anything.


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## Elsbet (Apr 2, 2009)

Good luck with fencing, whatever you choose. My experience was, goats go OVER the fence, sheep go THROUGH the fence. You might have less trouble with hairsheep, though. Mine were wool, and the wool seemed to insulate them from the shock of the electric. It was a different matter just after shearing. They'd be so used to leaning against the fence, they'd get shocked and totally freak out.
If you have ANY interest in wool breeds, though, I've heard Jacobs do an awesome job on brush.


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## oz in SC V2.0 (Dec 19, 2008)

The 'plan' is to take cattle panels,and basically make temporary paddocks of whatever size,then move the fence as needed.

Thoughts on this?


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## DebnKirk (Jul 5, 2011)

oz in SC V2.0 said:


> The 'plan' is to take cattle panels,and basically make temporary paddocks of whatever size,then move the fence as needed.
> 
> Thoughts on this?


I'd use electronet fence. It keeps the sheep in nicely and will also keep out predators. I use Permanet in a 150 x 100 paddock and my 15 Kats will eat the weeds (4' high) and grass down in about a week. The biggest thing about e-net is you must mow a path for it when you put it up, otherwise the weeds will drain off the charge.


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## moonkitten (Mar 4, 2005)

If you have a temporary paddock in a brushy/woodsy area made from either cattle panels or electronet, do you also have a shelter in there or do you move the sheep in at night or during storms? Just wondering if the trees/brush is enough shelter or if one needs to find a way to move a run-in along with that temporary paddock (not sure how I would put one up in a dense brushy area anyway... )


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## lockhart76 (Jul 31, 2011)

We have both and hair sheep are definately better at browsing (eating trees/shrubs/woody stemmed foliage) than wool sheep. If you want to severely defoliate an area, you must concentrate the animals. Your idea with cattle panels or electranet sounds spot on. GIve the sheep no other choice but to eat the shrubs/trees. They have more than adequate nutritional value anyways.(however, keep offering mineral and salt free choice) I would recomend Dorpers or Katahdins. Ours will eat everything they can reach and then they will stand on each other to reach higher. They will also walk up younger trees and bend them over, stripping all the leaves and small branches off as they proceed. Sheep will also eat coniferous needles and many sorts of forbes (nice name for weeds =) even prickly ones like thistles. They are tremendous. Don't be afraid to leave them in a paddock until it is cleaned right up. 

-Moonkitten: Sheep don't need any shelter. Trees are nice for shade but they are not required. Sheep are well equipped to deal with any and all weather conditions.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

I have Barbados Black belly and Katahdins. The BBs are very flighty and not really comfortable cooped up in small temporary paddocks. I would be surprised if they could even be kept in the sheep netting stuff, although cattle panels work well. I like my Katahdins much better.


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## VA Shepherd (Dec 26, 2010)

I use electric poultry netting too, and it works very well. Cattle panels are fine, but you do need plenty of strong posts to withstand the inevitable back scratch pressure. Also, they will not keep out predators without electricity, so be aware of anything you might need to keep out, as well as in.

Also, as much as I would like to let my sheep take down some of the brush here, about 30% of it is very toxic. You might want to ask your extension agent about any potentially dangerous local plants, particularly azaleas, rhododendron, and laurel. 

Good luck in your quest!


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## trimpy (Mar 30, 2011)

I keep 3 suffolks in a 16x16 cattle panel square. I move them when they eat everything down the the nubs from waist high grass and light brush. Usually takes 1-2 days. The sheep do a pretty good job, but goats are where its at for heavy brush.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

Goats are better for clearing out brush.
My sheep are only 22-24 inches tall. So they clear out hobbit holes under the brush for laying under.


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## oz in SC V2.0 (Dec 19, 2008)

I didn't want any issues with goats and fencing,trying to make this as painless as possible.


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