If you have ever been on a big farm, you probably notices that farmers tend to separate their sheep from their goats. Naturally, you are probably interested in why they do this. Luckily, today’s article will provide you with everything you need to know about why sheep and goats need to be separated.
Reasons why Farmers Separate Sheep from Goats
There are many reasons why farmers separate sheep from goats. Some of the main reasons include:
- Sheep are highly susceptible to copper poisoning. Copper poisoning occurs when a sheep ingests too much copper, and their body cannot break it down. Since some goat food contains high levels of copper, sheep are usually kept away from goats and their food.
- Sheep and goats also have different fighting styles. When two goats fight, especially male goats (bucks), they will tend to stand on their hind legs and come down and butt heads. Sheep (rams) back up and ram each other’s heads straight-on. If a sheep and goat fight, the sheep will often win because it hits the goat while the goat is still posturing. A sheep can severely damage a male goat’s hip if it rams it.
- Sheep are also separated from goats in order to limit the transmission of diseases. In particular, it is common for goats to contract scrapie from sheep. This disease is caused by a “prion” and causes neurological problems. Unfortunately, there is no cure for scrapie. If a sheep or goat develops scrapie, they must be removed from the pack immediately. Other diseases that can be transmitted between sheep and goats include Chlamydiosis, Coccidiosis, Ringworm, and Rabies.
Sometimes, farmers will use livestock guardian dogs to keep sheep and goats separate.
Can sheep and goats be together?
While they are usually separated, farmers do not always separate their sheep from their goats. A neutered male goat is often trained to lead a herd of sheep as goats are much more intelligent than sheep. Therefore, it is very easy to teach them new commands.
The neutered male goat can even become a respected leader of the sheep, and the sheep will automatically start following him as sheep tend to follow the member of the herd that takes initiative.
If you do plan on keeping your sheep and goats together, you should make sure the sheep don’t have horns. You should also make sure the goats don’t have horns, as it can cause damage if they headbutt each other.
If you plan to have a lot of goats, you should make sure you have enough acres for your goats and sheep.
How to separate your sheep from your goats?
The easiest way to separate your sheep from your goats is with a fence. You should make sure that the goat is at least 6 feet tall, since goats have the ability to jump at least 5 feet high.
It is also important to have different feeding areas for the two animals. Since they have different dietary requirements, it can get messy if their food gets mixed together.
Can goats and sheep breed?
It is extremely rare for a goat and sheep to breed. The vast majority of the time, the offspring of a goat and sheep will be stillborn. This is because sheep only have 54 chromosomes, while goats have 60.
There is something called a Sheep–goat chimera, which is a genetically modified offspring of a goat and a sheep. However, this man-made species is made by combining the embryos of a sheep and a goat.