Sheep vs. goats vs. camelid: which one to raise in a given set of circumstances?

In about 18 months, we will be uprooting ourselves from our current place and building on my in-laws’ 22 acres in north Idaho. The larger space means we’ll have room to do some livestock we’ve not had room for before. As we’re researching and planning, I’m thinking through what fiber animal to add, hooray! I’ve never had sheep, goats, or camelids (llamas or alpacas) and I’m hoping this collected bunch of brains and experience can give me some perspectives I’d not thought about.

I know I want spinnable fiber and milk. We’re fine with eating or selling any offspring that we don’t want to raise to adults. We don’t need much milk, as there’s only my spousal unit and I, and potentially some sharing with the parents, so not concerned about high-output dairy animals. The land we’re going to be on has probably 4 acres of pasture and lots more that’s mature pine forest. They’ve been renting the pasture to a neighbor in the summers to raise a couple of steers on, so there’s some fencing; I doubt it’s sufficient for goats. We’d need to build shelter for whatever animals we get.

Currently leaning more heavily to pygora goats, who have the potential for mohair, cashmere, or a mix. I think they’d do better in the forested areas than sheep would. However, I prefer working with sheep’s wool. Alpaca is lovely too, but not as versatile as sheep’s wool. (Also considering a guard llama with sheep or goats…)

Loan me your knowledge! What other things should I be taking into consideration in making my livestock stocking decision? What do you wish you’d known before you started out with a specific fiber animal?

If you want milk, pygora is likely not the best way to go. Nigora - a similar size, is also an Angora mix, complete with amazing fiber. But, rather than the meat goat pygmy, as the other breed, it's Nigerian Dwarf - renowned for its incredible milk. They're still edible, but with a sweeter, richer milk, and a body conformation type more conducive to easy milking. Our breeder numbers are steadily increasing, and there are currently about 75 - 100 of us, across the USA. The goats are sweet-tempered (think golden retriever puppy, lol), smallish, but have super abundant, unbelievably soft, luxurious fiber. They also roo (shed), so shearing isn't necessary, because you can simply pluck/ strip it by hand, much more easily, without equipment, noise, etc.

That is fantastic information, Carla; thank you so much! Knowing more about my options from people who've been there is exactly the reason I started this thread. It sounds like Nigoras would be a much better fit for what I want than Pygoras.

The shearing prospect if I'm doing it myself is a bit daunting; I've certainly handled critters who weren't thrilled with what I'm doing with them, but I've not sheared a large animal before. (I have, however, bathed and brushed noisy and recalcitrant Huskies, so surely there's some transferable skills there.) My Angora rabbit is pretty easy to shear!

Here's some more information on them: http://www.nigoragoats-angba.com/ANGBA-STANDARD.html

For me, plucking my goats is also bonding time, and sometimes I even hold them in my lap (much more snuggley, lol), to do it. The fiber comes off easily, they love the attention, and they get especially happy, once it's all plucked off, and they realize how much cooler they suddenly feel. As soon as they're turned loose again, they'll binky, bounce, and dance all over the place. Mine typically roo in early June.

Oh, yeh - and while milk-sharing with her kid, I usually get about a pint/day, give or take a few ounces.

That's just about the right amount; enough for cheese, yogurt, and/or soap over the course of a week, but not so much that I'm drowning in it.

Ours are amazing foragers, too. With 3 - 7 goats, we go through maybe 100 bales of hay/year, and they each average about 1/4C of feed/day, during the cold months, when browse is less available. And, ours have done a great job of keeping the yard fairly well managed, this year, while the temps were too hot to get out on the tractor, and since the tractor broke down.

If milk is the priority goats will be your best bet vs sheep or alpacas.  I'm sure there's people that milk alpacas, but I've never heard of that being done, so I'd assume they're probably a marginal dairy producer.  There are dairy breeds for sheep, but output is low relative to dairy goats.  I know you said you don't need a lot, but there's a difference between "a little" and "not a lot" and you may find goats to just be more reliable producers than sheep.

For fiber, it all depends on what type of fiber you want.  Each species has its own pros and cons in terms of fiber.  And with sheep (and probably goats too) breed makes a huge difference in type of fiber as well as quantity.  I don't think alpacas are as breed stratified as goats and sheep are so they may more of a "you get what you get" situation for that.

For meat, goats and sheep are close in terms of production and quality.  Obviously "meat" breeds will do better than dairy breeds with carcass quality, but if that's a side show vs dairy and fiber it might not matter too much.  It really just depends if you prefer the flavor of one over the other.  I have little doubt that alpacas are eaten in South America, but it's very uncommon here.  I wouldn't hesitate to slaughter one if I couldn't sell it, but I have no idea if the meat is going to fit with most American kitchens.  

As far as sheep vs goats in the pine forest, it depends a bit on the sheep vs goats that you can get.  Some sheep will thrive on brush as well as pasture, some won't.  The goats will possibly do better at clearing the underbrush than a wool sheep, but a hair sheep will be equal to the goats in that regard (but then obviously you lose the fibers).  

One other factor to keep in mind that most people find sheep easier to contain than goats.  No idea on alpacas, but given their size I wouldn't be surprised if they could jump pretty well.  Sheep generally like to go under fences, goats like to go over.  And goats can climb really well too.  But whatever you get for animals and fence material, I highly recommend something they can't fit their head through.  Otherwise you're asking for them to get stuck, especially if they have horns.

As mentioned sheep are a lot easier to keep in then goats and there are dairy sheep breeds as well as a few meat/wool breeds that can be acceptable for milking.   It was easy to find information on milk sheep breeds and information on keeping, milking, etc so they may be worth looking into.  The wool I have spun from milk sheep was so so bit on the coarse side but I was surprised to see both Icelandic and Finnsheep mentioned as possible breeds to use if milk sheep breeds are not available in your area...  

The comment about them producing less then a goat is valid but when I see that they can produce a pint of milk a day up to a half gallon at peak season then multiple that by 3 or 4 and suddenly you have more then enough milk for a couple with possibly some left over for cheese making.  The other down side is many are only in milk for 2 to 4 months if using a non traditional breed such as the Finnsheep.   So it really will be a what is your priority milk or fiber?  If you prefer wool to mohair, cashmere or cashgora and don't mind getting less milk then honestly a milking sheep sounds like a good plan.  

This site could be a good start for your searches http://www.milkingsheep.com/

Dorothy Pohorelow wrote:As mentioned sheep are a lot easier to keep in then goats and there are dairy sheep breeds as well as a few meat/wool breeds that can be acceptable for milking.   It was easy to find information on milk sheep breeds and information on keeping, milking, etc so they may be worth looking into.  The wool I have spun from milk sheep was so so bit on the coarse side but I was surprised to see both Icelandic and Finnsheep mentioned as possible breeds to use if milk sheep breeds are not available in your area...  

The comment about them producing less then a goat is valid but when I see that they can produce a pint of milk a day up to a half gallon at peak season then multiple that by 3 or 4 and suddenly you have more then enough milk for a couple with possibly some left over for cheese making.  The other down side is many are only in milk for 2 to 4 months if using a non traditional breed such as the Finnsheep.   So it really will be a what is your priority milk or fiber?  If you prefer wool to mohair, cashmere or cashgora and don't mind getting less milk then honestly a milking sheep sounds like a good plan.  

This site could be a good start for your searches http://www.milkingsheep.com/

aaaauuuukghhh... I'm so trying to resist the urge to get both.