Rooted in the rolling hills of San Luis Obispo County, SLO Goats & Sheep is a family-run targeted grazing company with a simple philosophy: work with nature, not against it.
Our Boer goats and Dorper sheep aren’t just livestock—they’re partners in land stewardship, fire prevention, and soil restoration. Raised with respect and care, they help keep wildlands healthy and our communities safe.
🐐 Why Goats & Sheep?
At SLO Goats & Sheep, we pair two of nature’s best land managers:
Boer Goats – The Browsers
These curious climbers tackle shrubs, poison oak, and brush. They’re adventurous, energetic, and love the challenge of tougher vegetation.
Dorper Sheep – The Grazers
Gentle and calm, Dorpers prefer grasses and low-growing plants. Their tidy habits complement the goats beautifully.
Together, they form a harmonious, full-circle grazing team—restoring pastures, reducing wildfire risk, and nurturing biodiversity.
❤️ Our Animal-Centered Approach
We raise our animals with the same care we give our own kids. That means:
- No tail docking
- No horn removal
- No shortcuts when it comes to comfort and well-being
Everything we do is rooted in compassion, tradition, and science.
💉 Gentle Castration, Done Right
We use Lidoband™, a humane elastrator band infused with lidocaine, to reduce pain and stress.
- Delivers 80 mg of lidocaine, starting 2 hours after application
- Provides relief for up to 42 days
- Manufactured by Alberta Veterinary Laboratories Ltd. (Solvet brand)
At over $2.00 per band, it’s a conscious investment in animal welfare.
🦌 Why We Leave Horns
Disbudding (horn removal) is painful and invasive. We skip it—for good reason.
Horns serve many natural functions:
- 🌡️ Regulate body heat
- 🧼 Scratch and groom
- ⛏️ Dig and forage
- 🛡️ Deter predators
Our animals deserve to keep what nature gave them.
🐑 Tails Matter, Too
Tail docking? Not here.
Our Dorper sheep shed naturally and don’t require docking. Tails help with:
- 🐝 Swatting flies
- 🐾 Expressing emotions
- 🌿 Comfort and hygiene
We let animals be animals—naturally equipped and thriving.
🐾 Daily Life on a Grazing Project
Our herd follows a natural rhythm:
- 8 hours grazing
- 8 hours ruminating (chewing cud)
- 8 hours resting
Goats and sheep are ruminants, equipped with four-chambered stomachs that break down tough, fibrous plants—making them ideal for fuel reduction and pasture restoration.
🐐 Our Breeds
Boer Goats
- Origin: South Africa
- Muscular build, red or brown heads
- Energetic and social
- High-quality, lean meat
Dorper Sheep
- Hair breed—no shearing needed
- Hardy, low-maintenance, parasite-resistant
- Calm, cooperative, and well-suited to wildland grazing
- Gourmet-quality meat
🌱 Land Management with Heart
Serving all of San Luis Obispo County, we provide sustainable grazing with wide-reaching benefits:
- 🔥 Fire Fuel Reduction – Our animals eat dry brush, weeds, and ladder fuels
- 🌿 Soil Health – Hooves aerate, manure enriches
- 🌾 Weed Control – Goats eat weed seeds before they spread
- 🐞 Biodiversity Boost – Mixed grazing prevents monocultures
- 🚫 No Herbicides Needed – Just healthy animals doing what they do best
Compared to weed whacking or mowing, grazing is cleaner, quieter, and far more sustainable.
📚 The Science Behind Our Work
Research supports what land stewards already know:
- ✅ USDA studies: Mixed-species grazing increases pasture productivity
- ✅ Journal of Sustainable Agriculture: Lower management costs with goats and sheep
- ✅ Rangeland Ecology & Management: Better outcomes for native plants
We bridge time-tested wisdom with evidence-based practices.
👨👩👧👦 A Family Ranch for a Stronger Community
SLO Goats & Sheep isn’t just a business—it’s a way of life.
We graze together, grow together, and teach the next generation the value of working with the land. Whether you need fire prevention, pasture rehabilitation, or simply want to learn more about targeted grazing, we’re here to help.
🌾 Let’s Graze Together
Serving San Luis Obispo County and beyond, SLO Goats & Sheep offers practical, powerful, and principled land management.
📞 Ready to get started? Contact us today.
We’ve got a hardworking team of goats, sheep, livestock guard dogs, and humans ready for the job.