Thread: Sheep on small acreage - are they low maintenance ?

Depends on whether ( pardon the pun) you can stand getting them butchered or become family pets. No one eats family pets. The older they get the tougher the mutton, for what they are worth in upkeep if you have to supplement their food. As Said before sheep will eat the grass to the roots. Thats why sheep herders were frowned up by cattle herders.
The days of Australia riding on the sheep's back are long gone

Originally Posted by It'sNotWorthComplaining!

Depends on whether ( pardon the pun) you can stand getting them butchered or become family pets. No one eats family pets.

Yeah - whatever you do, don't let your wife name the damn things! The people we bought the property off had been rotating the sheep by slaughtering one every time they hit 18 months old. They had three sheep all spaced 6 months apart in age so a sheep every six months. Then we bought the place. After six months I said to the wife "I'd better sort out getting a butcher in" and she cried out "you can't kill Molly!". "Who the **** is Molly?"

Originally Posted by dullbird

Scott don't get goats unless you dont like your neighbours.... if you got great fences fine if you haven't dont bother because they will go to your neighbours yard where the grass is better

Is that a paddock shelter in the back field of yours? I'll have it and in exchange I will bring some horses around to mow your grass once I buy them.

See how helpful I am hahahahahah

Goats aren't as bad as a lot of people make out - one of my sons has four goats in a small paddock (yes Lou, that's PADDOCK not 'field' - we'll Australianise you yet ) and they're not a problem. Sons FIL and one of his mates are sheep farmers and they both advised against sheep due to the high maintenance factor.

Scott we had 3 sheep on 5 acres at rouse hill no problem plenty of grass for them got a shearer in each year $25 ea only prob we had was as we didnt live there and some NZ neighbours wanted a hungi fortunatly my bro inlaw turned up just in time. Sell the lambs just borrow a ram when you need to every couple of years just to keep the herd going

No I agree with the high maintenance with the sheep, but out of all the stock animals that RSPCA deals with that are stray guess which ones are the biggest, Goats

if your fences get a little on the slack side they will just slip right through..I have seen many goats do it.
If you get a goat that likes to roam you will not keep it in.

Originally Posted by dullbird

No I agree with the high maintenance with the sheep, but out of all the stock animals that RSPCA deals with that are stray guess which ones are the biggest, Goats

if your fences get a little on the slack side they will just slip right through..I have seen many goats do it.
If you get a goat that likes to roam you will not keep it in.

A lot of goats go missing at Greek Festive times, just can't help those darn holes in the fences it seems.

I grew up in grazing country and we had goats for milk in town. 3 1/2 acres will feed two sheep in good going and barely one steer without supplemental feeding. Goats are high maintenance. If you want healthy goats for milk and meat you will have to work at it. People think you can put goats in bare paddocks and they will eat rocks and burrs. WRONG!!!! They need good feed and minerals. Also, goats are bloody escape artists. If you want to start a blue with a neighbour put goats in a paddock with poor fences. Bloody Angoras! I have seen these leap up onto a star picket as a springboard to walk along a top wire. They are susceptible to worms and need regular treatment. Like sheep, their hooves need attention. PIA, goats. Was a kids job in western Qld to herd the family goats in and out from milking and back to the town common. I remember it well, seared in my memory.

Originally Posted by It'sNotWorthComplaining!

A lot of goats go missing at Greek Festive times, just can't help those darn holes in the fences it seems.

The greeks obviously aren't got at it then as they all end up at the RSPCA...........ALIVE

I always wondered why they turned up with fresh corriander