posted on April 16, 2004 10:14:50 AM new
Since the Gov repealed the car tax rebound and denied the counties of millions needed dollars tey are having to find some alternative money saving measures to accomplish needed functions. San Diego is investing in goats. Right now it is a pilots program using a small herd to clear dry brush from around residential areas in fire areas but depending on how things go they may be increasing the "inventory" to expand the plan. At 20% the cost of having humans doing the job I think it sounds it sounds like a great and "innovative" (is it innovative to go back to the oldest form of clearing?) idea.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on April 16, 2004 11:20:28 AM new
a lot of communities already do this. Here in southern California you often pass by lots and fields in cities that have a herd of goats or sheep grazing away. When the area is cleared, the owner moves the herd tothe next place that has hired him for weed abatement....
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Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on April 16, 2004 04:05:49 PM new
Goats are wonderful creatures. We have three pregnant does right now, the oldest one tripled last year and looks like she's going to again...they are smart, personable survivalists. San Diego is smart to do this...Sheep, on the other hand, and although they are our mainstay, are picky, fearful, and about as bright as cattle...which is not very!
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posted on April 16, 2004 04:15:19 PM new
Profe - how often do goats have kids in the average year? I was looking at the Heiffer International site you posted a couple weeks ago and was just wondering what the most beneficial animals to give over the long haul are. (Thanks for the link BTW)
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on April 16, 2004 04:35:42 PM new
Once a year is normal. Gestation is about 150 days, give or take. The fact that they often twin and triple, however, makes them a good candidate for donation. Plus the fact that they don't need the quality of forage that sheep and cattle require. Dairy goat breeds are good for hair, milk, and meat as well. We keep a doe kid or two each year and sell a couple, and butcher the young bucks at about 4 weeks of age if we get any. Meantime, 3 or 4 does in milk will produce enough milk for a big family to drink and plenty to sell once they're not nursing kids..my son started selling milk by word of mouth last summer to augment his egg money, and had no trouble at all getting 2 bucks a quart....6 to 8 dollars a day was pretty good profit for a 9 year old spending maybe 2 hours total milking and putting the milk away...Very productive and carefree livestock, especially the older dairy breeds...
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