I want to set up rotational breeding with a total of 6 does and 1 buck. Every 4 months two new does will be put with the buck. After building my barn and dry lots, I have 1/2 acre to work with to do rotational grazing. How big of paddocks would you make for them? One dry lot is 40x40 because it will have 4 does and potentially 8 kids and the other is 20x20 because it will have 2 does (being bred) and my buck. Any idea on how to accomplish this?
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I found that link to the plans someone shared. This set up may not work for you, but it may give you some ideas. I haven't looked at it too closely right now, but I remember being impressed with the concept when I first saw it. I've kept it in the back of my mind since. :)
If you had the $$ and ability to set up permanent pens to rotate the goats through, you could do that. Some day, I may have enough fencing to do that, and if I can I will try it. I think it would make me much more likely to NOT leave them it their dry lot attached to the barn. When getting them on grass is so much work, I tend to fail at it if I'm really busy or having to leave home.
There was a drawing of how someone set up a situation like that on here somewhere. I really liked what they did, but I can't find it now.
To do that, you'd need 8 pens for each group of goats you want to rotate through pastures if you were leaving them in each one for a week, and keeping them out of each one for 6 weeks. I don't know for sure how big you should make them. That's a question that might only be able to be answered by you. Perhaps before you set up something permanent, you could set up something temporary, and watch them closely to see about how much space they can utilize to a maximum in a week. You want them to eat most of what they have available, without eating it all down too far. Perhaps you could make some type of light weight shelter that you could move from pen to pen, or you could buy one (such as a plastic calf hutch). Those are the things I've dreamed of doing here. Hope that helps a little, maybe. :)
So I need two 16x16 pens for a girls and kids and my buck and being bred girls. Both need a hoop shelter and move them around daily. Does this not sound like two setups going on at once? I really am trying to understand this....
Do they have shelter in the panel set up? I was wanting to do a permanent set up or the premier fencing. That was my only issue with those links. So would I have a set for the buck and does and a set for the does and kids?
All of the info in the above links are for goats. From the first link above:
There are a couple of ways you can utilize rotational grazing, and the method you use will depend on the number of goats you have. Four livestock panels can be used to create a 16-foot by 16-foot pen that can be moved every day or two, depending upon how fast the goats eat the grass. This works well for goat keepers who have an acre or two and only a couple of goats.
With only 3-4 goats in each group, this is probably your best bet. You will probably need to move the goats every 1 to 3 days, depending on how fast they eat down the grass.
I'm trying to figure that out. I don't know what spacing, etc for rotating nigerians. All the info I find is for cattle. I know you want at least 4 weeks, preferably 6 weeks of rest time...
A half acre divided into two pastures would not be rotational grazing. I'm not sure what you mean would be too small. It wouldn't be enough pastures, and the pastures would actually be way too big for only 3-4 goats.
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I found that link to the plans someone shared. This set up may not work for you, but it may give you some ideas. I haven't looked at it too closely right now, but I remember being impressed with the concept when I first saw it. I've kept it in the back of my mind since. :)
http://nigeriandwarfgoats.ning.com/forum/topics/start-from-scratch-...
There was a drawing of how someone set up a situation like that on here somewhere. I really liked what they did, but I can't find it now.
To do that, you'd need 8 pens for each group of goats you want to rotate through pastures if you were leaving them in each one for a week, and keeping them out of each one for 6 weeks. I don't know for sure how big you should make them. That's a question that might only be able to be answered by you. Perhaps before you set up something permanent, you could set up something temporary, and watch them closely to see about how much space they can utilize to a maximum in a week. You want them to eat most of what they have available, without eating it all down too far. Perhaps you could make some type of light weight shelter that you could move from pen to pen, or you could buy one (such as a plastic calf hutch). Those are the things I've dreamed of doing here. Hope that helps a little, maybe. :)
Yes, they would need to have shelter in any set up you rotate them in. A hoop house shelter would achieve this.
All of the info in the above links are for goats. From the first link above:
With only 3-4 goats in each group, this is probably your best bet. You will probably need to move the goats every 1 to 3 days, depending on how fast they eat down the grass.
A half acre divided into two pastures would not be rotational grazing. I'm not sure what you mean would be too small. It wouldn't be enough pastures, and the pastures would actually be way too big for only 3-4 goats.
Oh, that's a great idea!
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