Living lawn mowers...

I've been told that if you keep goats contained 90% of the time, you are 100% successful...


...only problem, I don't know if I can live with those odds.  Now sheep, on the other hand, I'm told are a bit less adventurous.  Anybody have any thoughts?  Here's what I know so far...

Breed: Katahdin
Hair/Wool: Hair... the shed so you don't have to shear them, woohoo!
Purpose: Meat (I'm told they taste as good as beef, or better.... but that probably depends on what beef you are used to.
Stocking Density: Per a farmer I spoke with, 4 Ewes and their offspring for that year per acre... 
Cost: $200/Ewe, likely pregnant.

BONUS:According to Wikipedia....

• Most Katahdin ewes will have a 200% lamb crop.
• Katahdin sheep breed is also resistant to parasites.
• They eat grass!

The cost...  all numbers based on pricing from premier1supplies.com

• Electrostop portable fence netting - $155 per 164ft roll (x2) = $310
• It could be done with one... but I think moving the sheep to the next paddock would be much easier if it was already set up... or perhaps I should get shorter netting rolls?

• Intellishock PRS-I 50 fence energizer - $310
• OR
• Intellishock 10 - $120
• Deep cycle battery - $120
• 20amp solar panel - $130 

• M1A with Leupold scope (not for me, for the sheep... to protect the sheep from predators... geesh!) - $3,000 (A guy can dream, can't he?)

 We have a lot to think about right now... the plan was to get 100 chickens (broilers) to raise for meat, but at $12/bird (including $2 butcher fee/bird), it's more than we can pull off all together...  which is frustrating!  We need to hurry up and get better so we can free up some money in the budget for things like this.... 

PERSONAL FRUSTRATION: We stopped putting $ into my 401k a few months back to help with some costs and now my wife wants to start putting money in again... but with all I've read about the economy (example here and here) , I can't help but wonder if there are better places to invest my money.  After all, I don't really believe I'll ever see that money... I think the gov't is going to grab it long before I ever reach retirement age!  Sure, the company I work for matches the money 50% up to 6%... but if I never get to spend the money, what good is it?  I'd rather have some meat storage and production units in the backyard...

(The best way to store meat, until you need it, is on the hoof!)

-Clinton


(UPDATE)

Well scratch that idea... we owe over $800 on our taxes this year - guess I'd better update my W-4. Benjamin Franklin was right... I'm sure he wishes he wasn't!

 “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.”