Last Dairy farm in Biggenden closes down

**JDNSW** · 23rd February 2019, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

A goat fence was built around Longreach with goat grids on the roads. Nobody thought to muster all the goats already inside until all of a sudden the penny dropped. There were as many goats in the town as outside. They did get mustered and sent to meatworks eventually.

JD, is any fence goat proof? Goats are bloody escape artists.

It may have actually been Longreach I was thinking of, but my memory still says Aramac!

I know about goats -ran them here for a number of years. You can keep them in (or out) reasonably well, but involves a lot of maintenance. In my experience a minimum is a live wire not more than six inches from the ground, and another near the top of the fence, which needs to be sheep mesh topped with a barb, with the mesh well earthed. Post stays may need a live wire along the top of the stay. You need to check regularly that the wombats have not dug a clearance under the fence, and that the roos hitting the fence have not damaged it, shorting the live wires. You may need to shoot the occasional persistent fence breaker that doesn't learn from getting shocked.

A six wire electric fence with alternate wires earth and live, live on top, will also work, but tends to develop faults more easily. I have yet to see an unelectrified fence that is more than a temporary obstacle to goats! (Not necessarily all goats - although I don't have experience with them, I understand that boer goats are not much worse than crossbred sheep.)

**RANDLOVER** · 23rd February 2019, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Funny that nobody has mentioned UHT milk.

the technology has improved since the 20th century and IMHO the product is just as good as “fresh” milk. We now use it exclusively.

you should know the fresh milk is stored AFAIR 6 days before it is despatched to retailers to check for contamination and package swelling.

I too used to go to a farm for school holidays. It used to be “fun?” Getting up at 4.30 to bring the cows in in winter. I remember the old generator which you had to wind up on the decompressor.
This was at Black Gully near Rathdowney, and we used to take the milk churns to Rathdowney sitting on the back of a single spinner Ute cab with our feet on the churns . Be arrested today.

regards Philip A

I suppose that was bare feet on the churns, and you had to run from cow pat to cow pat to keep them warm beforehand?

DiscoMick · 23rd February 2019, 02:04 PM

I used to stand in fresh cow pats to warm my feet on chilly mornings.

**JDNSW** · 23rd February 2019, 02:20 PM

Never been there! But my father grew up in the Orange area, and told me he never owned a pair of shoes until he went to highschool. (For those who don't know, it snows around Orange.)

DiscoMick · 23rd February 2019, 02:32 PM

I had gummies, but they get a bit chilly in winter, so a quick dip in a warm cow pat is the way to go. Hose out later.

**scarry** · 23rd February 2019, 03:37 PM

I don't think goats would get through the dog fences that have been built in the last few years.

They are very solid,over 2M high and turned at the bottom 500mm.

I have seen pigs and roos continually hitting them,but they don't get through.

The scrub is also cleared minimum 6M each side of the fence.

Oh,and our dog loves to roll in those warm fresh cow pats.

**RANDLOVER** · 23rd February 2019, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Never been there! But my father grew up in the Orange area, and told me he never owned a pair of shoes until he went to highschool. (For those who don't know, it snows around Orange.)

Dairy farming, but farming in general is a tough life, in the army we used to joke that the farm boys joined the military so that they could, wear shoes, grow their hair long, and get up late!

DiscoMick · 23rd February 2019, 06:32 PM

Long hair in the military?

**RANDLOVER** · 23rd February 2019, 06:59 PM

Soy, almond, cow's, none? What milk should we be drinking for the planet? - Science News - ABC News

Dairy may not be as bad as some people think.

**PhilipA** · 23rd February 2019, 07:48 PM

I don't think goats would get through the dog fences that have been built in the last few years.

I haven't probably seen the fences you describe but goats can climb anything climbable.

If the fences have strainer braces on the corners they will walk up the braces and over.

I had a mate who put goats on his property at Bredbo and 2 weeks later they were all gone.
if you go to the Warrumbungles they were there in their thousands climbing sheer cliffs.

I remember once I was camping in Marmaris and a herd of goats thundered down a sheer cliff and into the rubbish bins. It was a sight to see. They seem to find footing where there is none visible.

Regards Philip A

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