Grazers vs. Browsers
Grazers
Grazers are herbivores that feed on grass and other low-lying vegetation.
Among our herd, we have sheep that primarily graze on low-lying plants, including grass, parsnips, dandelion, bittersweet vine, poison ivy, and various other leafy plants. Although they occasionally browse, their preference is to graze. These sheep are skilled at maintaining vegetation by clipping it without causing extensive damage.
Browsers
Browsers are herbivores that feed on mainly non-grass vegetation or high-growing woody vegetation such as trees, shrubs, and soft shoots.
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Goats are primarily browsers, in contrast to sheep, and they typically prefer broad-leaf woody vegetation. However, they will also graze on low-lying grasses and various other plants. Goats are especially well-suited for consuming prickly vegetation like raspberries, blackberries, multiflora rose, Hawthorne, and black locust, which are among their favorite foods. They are highly mobile animals and can traverse almost any type of terrain in their quest for food, although they may occasionally require assistance when reaching higher vegetation, such as trees. Goats are particularly fond of brush and enjoy climbing rocks, making them ideal for maintaining areas on your property that are difficult to access, such as drainage ditches and stonewalls.