Which farm animals are easier to keep? Sheep or Goats?

Question

As far as cost, maintenance, keeping confined, and eating valuable plants, which are easier to keep, sheep or goats? I hear that sheep are a lot more delicate while goats are harder to keep contained and eat everything including garden plants.

Also, which one is a better lawnmower on acreage? I hear sheep are better at eating grass, while goats don't like grass as much.

Any information is appreciated.

Answer 1

Goats are picky eaters, noisy, and they smell bad. Can you tell I don't like 'em. Sheep will eat just about anything, so fence the areas you don't want them to go. They still need care, don't forget that.

Answer 2

I recommend sheep! Goats have to have a great deal of fencing to keep them in. When they do get out they destroy anything and everything in sight. I had two goats destroy some expensive trees and were quite a way away from their pen.
AS long as you keep up on vaccinations, shearing, and basic up-keep with sheep they are not bad at all. I have also heard that sheep do cover more area and eat a greater variety of grasses and plants.

Answer 3

I have a limited knowledge of sheep but I know quite a bit about goats because I raise them. Goats will eat grass but they will eat everything else first. If you have a lot of valuable shrubs or plants you will want to have VERY good and reliable fencing for goats. We have our goats in our pastures with horses and llamas. The goats eat the weeds and keep the fence rows clean, while the horses and llamas eat the grass. I believe sheep prefer grass and will keep it chewed to nearly ground level if they don't have a lot of pasture area. I don't know about sheep, but goats are quite hardy and easy to keep as long as you have good fence. Ours are on pasture all summer and in the winter they get hay and some grain. We keep them wormed and they are vaccinated once a year, they have fresh water, salt, and minerals available at all times, and that's about all they require. They do need some type of shelter as most of the hate to get wet. They are fun to watch, they rarely get sick, and they are clean (droppings are small pellets, similar to rabbit droppings).

Answer 4

Sheep just follow you around like a dog goats like a verity of terrain and are sorta picky eaters. Goats also like to JUMP. Just shave the sheep in the summer and they are happy as can be.

Answer 5

As the owner of both, I would recommend sheep. They are more docile, but they do also need good fencing. We use electric twine and divide the field up into sections, rotating them as they eat down the section they are in.
Sheep are really not that delicate, they just need the usual care; vaccinations, worming, etc.

Answer 6

They're about the same. These days, many farmers graze both animals in the same territory. It is natural for them to eat plants. You'll have to fence off your plants.