FAQ
Can I hire just a few goats instead of the whole herd?
At this stage, all the goats need to be together in the same location. The herd manager stays on site with them to check on the goats and move the fences as the job progresses. If you absolutely want a smaller herd and you are willing to pay the same as for a full herd, some of the goats could be left at home.
Where does the herd manager stay?
The herd manager stays on site in a caravan, preferably within a few 100m of where the goats are grazing. The caravan could be fully off-grid if necessary, but power and water access is preferable to make things easier.
What type of fencing do you use? Will the goats escape?
We use very specific electric netting that had to be ordered from the US. It is the same netting used by most goat rental businesses in North America, with the extra benefit of being a positive-negative fence, which doesn’t rely on proper grounding for the shock to occur. The goats have been trained to respect this fence and escapes are very unlikely. If they do occur due to a fallen branch or other external factors, the goat herder will rush to your property to get the goats contained and the fence back up.
Is this electric fence dangerous?
We strongly advise that you avoid touching the electric fence, or much like the goats, you will learn a shocking lesson. It is not lethal, but definitely not very nice. We use a high quality fence energiser with a lithium battery to ensure the right volts and joules are being delivered day and night to keep the goats in and predators out.
Do you have a livestock guardian dog that stays with the herd?
Not at this stage, but we are definitely investigating this option for properties where wild dogs could be a problem.
Do you have a herding dog?
Yes, there is a herding dog currently being trained, but he's only a puppy right now (2023).
Will the goats eat lantana?
They are able to eat a little bit of pink lantana, as long as they also have other other things to eat as well. They will not eat orange or red lantana.
Can I pat or feed the goats?
You can pat them only in the presence of the goat herder, so that the fence can be turned off momentarily. You are however never permitted to feed them anything, even if it feels like you are being nice to them. Feeding them is used to train specific behaviours, so only the goat herder can feed them specific feed in specific conditions.
Do we need to water them?
The herd manager will take care of topping up their water regularly and setting up their minerals. So you don't have to worry about the goats at all; everything is taken care of.
Will the goats eat my garden?
If they have access to it, absolutely. So any areas where vegetation needs to be protected will be discussed so they can be fenced out properly.
Will there be any baby goats?
Kidding season is from May to October so there will be baby goats around that period.