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  • From: "Cherry Tree Farms" <ctfarms AT helicon.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] goats & turkeys
  • Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 18:28:44 -0500

With goats, it depends on who you are selling them to. A South Afrikaner
will love a borer, and a Jamaican won't touch it; they like rangy breeds
like Alpines and Togenbergs. I have been raising Alpine/Nubian crosses and
make out just about the same (per pound) as the folks raising borers around
here. Yes they are wonderful for clearing out brambles especially during
drought conditions where they keep after the leaves so the plant burns up
its root energy, then my billy likes to polish his horns on the stalks which
snap off when they dry down, then the stalks get trampled in. They have
also done wonders for clearing out Canadian thistle for me.

The pygmies eat just as much as any other goat but never get decent size or
decent market price. Okay if you are going for the pet market, otherwise
you are probably better off staying away from them.

One time I was at a conference workshop on pastured poultry and the subject
of Turkey's was raised. One fellow said he tried it and it was a disaster
because the turkeys were too dumb to follow the feed when he tried to move
the pen and ended up killing too many of them. That's one fellows story (no
experience myself) your mileage may vary.

Good Luck,
Doyle
Atop the Alleghenies in West PA
Zone 5


----- Original Message -----
From: "Liz Pike" <strawbry_wine AT yahoo.com>
To: "MF" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 8:56 AM
Subject: [Market-farming] goats & turkeys


> Ok, so next on our list of farm ventures in addition
> to the blueberries is goats and pastured turkeys.
> Goats first--Everyone and his brother around here
> raise boers. I want to do something a little
> different. The myotonic goats seem to be a good
> compromise. My research indicates they have a similar
> muscle mass as the boers. Anyone have experience with
> them?? I also want them to eat down the massive
> quantities of multiflora rose, blackberry canes,
> honeysuckle and poison ivy we have--arrrggghhh--its
> too early in the season to get this rash ; (((( !!
>
> Also, any thoughts on pastured turkeys?? I'm
> considering putting them in a day-range system and I
> know to do that successfully they need to be trained
> to electric early on. We have electric poultry fence
> already. Anyone doing pastured turkeys?? Also advice
> on breed preference??
>
> And for Bill...yes I LOVE strawberry wine--to
> drink--haven't made any but I did make some awesome
> watermelon wine once!!
>
> Liz Pike
> Hillsville VA
>
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