Goat,llama,and donkey browse height

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I now have two pygmy goats that stand on their hind legs to browse,which is all right as I have grafted nut and fruit trees which are circled individually with plastic snow fence to protect them.Next spring I will put together a brush goat herd with guardian donkey or llama.My question is will four feet fence protect trees against any full size breed of goat,donkey or llama? Thanks Keith

-- Keith Etheridge (grandpa@chipsnet.com), December 19, 2001

Answers

No.

Goats are quite capable of devastating anything they want to reach beyond a fence.

Remember that not just height is important, but distance and strength.

Don't put that four foot fence close around the plant. Move it out away from the plant and encircle a great radius. That will help. And make it a strong fence.

Some goats jump fences. My goats don't so I don't know how high a fence needs to be to keep out jumping goats.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), December 19, 2001.


As long as it is away from the trees, up close to the trees, they will just use the fence to stand on. Not stretched tightly enough the goats will pull it down. Cattle panels or utility panels are a much better idea, plus you can remove a section to go in and weed eat. Donkeys are not the lawn mowers that we were told, they actually prefer the unimproved grass and weeds out in the woods, the only way they will eat and mow our grass is to take away their hay and lock them in with the grass :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), December 19, 2001.

Ever been leaned on by a donkey? Can't speak for llamas, but I don't imagine they'd be much better. Use real substantial posts far out from your trees, and use high wire mesh or hardware cloth - not plastic. If you could lean on it and push it down without your hands, so could they - and sooner or later they'll figure this out. Picture a goat - or a donkey - rearing up and then leaning on the top of your tree-guard with all its weight.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), December 19, 2001.

How far away from the tree is the fence. A four foot fence isnt going to stop a llama from jumping it. They will general not jump out if they are properly feed.

-- Gary (gws@columbus.rr.com), December 19, 2001.

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