I'm running a few meat goats. Three adults and two kids. As of yet, I just have 12 acres with high tensile 6 strand electric perimeter
fence, plus one paddock, also done with high tensile. The paddock is open area so it's mostly grasses that need recovery time and that I don't want them eating down to the point where it looks like it was mowed. As far as the woods area, they're all over it throughout the day since they're browsers. I'm just going to run them that way until they kill off all the poison ivy and seedlings/saplings. Then I'm also cutting down medium sized trees for
firewood and will do some shiitake logs next year. Within a few years, the woods will be a lot tamer and easier to cross
fence. We technically have two properties adjacent to each other, 7 acres plus 8 acres so the first cross fence will be on the property line and that will be high tensile as well. From there, I'll start using netting I think.
Our
land is hilly forest so it's already hard to fence so I and the goats will be cleaning it up for a while before I attempt to create paddocks There's nothing in the woods I want to save. 10,000 seedlings/saplings, 2,000 small to medium trees all need to go so I don't see the need for paddocks yet. Large oaks and hickory trees big
enough to drop lots of acorns and hickory nuts, I'll keep. There will be a slow transformation to a semi-shaded pasture(silvopasture/savanna) because I have to be careful about losing top soil on these slopes. My first paddocks will be used to exclude the goats as I clear tree leaves and plant pasture in one small area at a time.
They're doing a pretty good job of eating anything green within 5-6 foot from the ground this year. The buck and two does came from open pasture settings so last year they seemed afraid to go too deep into the woods but with both does nursing a kid, food is important this year so like I said, they're all over the 12 acres. I'd say 2-3 years and no seedling/sapling less than 6-8 foot tall will be left. That will make it a lot easier for me to get in there and take out the small to medium trees which in turn will make it easier for me to cross fence and make paddocks.
I watched a
video from Greg Judy and he doesn't plant seed. He rolls out round bales of
hay to seed land. Sounds like a plan to me because it serves as mulch until the grasses take
root. That is, after the goats and I have cleared the land enough to roll out bales. I might also toss some other seeds down before unrolling the hay. For instance, Hancock seeds has Brown Millet which is supposed to be good for preventing erosion. It's also one of the varieties in their
deer mixes and goat mixes. It's not only hilly here but too rocky to actually plant seed 1/8 - 1/4" so I'm hoping spreading it and unrolling hay on it will have the same effect. I'll let the goats eat hay for a few days and then exclude the goats so the seed takes hold and has a chance to grow to grazing height.
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