Goats are browsers by nature and as such, are well-equipped for feeding on unwanted plants like brush, prickers, and weeds. Goats can provide several ecological advantages over traditional methods of vegetation management like harsh chemicals and machinery. Contract grazing is becoming more commonplace as landowners discover the unique benefits of the temporary presence of goats on their property.
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You’ve probably heard the saying, “Goats eat everything!”
While that is not actually the case, what’s really neat about goats is that they do eat a lot of things that other animals avoid and that people want out of their yards. Unlike horses or sheep that prefer grazing on grasses, goats gravitate toward browsing on woody stems that are higher off the ground.
Goats enjoy munching on what many consider nuisance plants such as black raspberries, poison ivy, young saplings, autumn olive, and climbing bittersweet. If your property is being encroached on from forest overgrowth, renting goats may be a viable option.
We run a contract grazing business and rent our goats out to clear brush for home and business owners in southwest Michigan. There are many other farmers like us and some larger companies that run affiliate programs. Instead of spraying harsh pesticides, renting a brush hog, or hiring lawn care professionals this year, read on to learn how goats and their caretakers can help you and the environment simultaneously!
1. Goats are an Effective Means of Brush Management
Goats specialize in eating weeds and brush and can effectively clear heavily wooded areas even in steep or uneven terrain. In addition to consuming ground cover, leaves, and stems, goats trample and break off the branches of saplings and trees helping to get unwanted forest growth under control. What the goats will leave behind are sticks that can be removed by the property owner, if they desire, at the conclusion of the project.
Goats are agile brush mowers that can get into narrow areas and dense vegetation alike. To reach vines and hanging branches, they will use fallen logs, stumps, and their hind legs. Our large breed goats effectively clear to a height of over four feet using their acrobatics.
Goats eat a wide range of plants, including weeds, bushes, trees, and grasses. However, they will avoid those plants that are unpalatable or poisonous. Before you rent goats, the farmer will assess your property to make sure it contains suitable forages for the herd and doesn’t pose a danger of toxicity.
2. Goats are a “Green” Option of Brush Management
When pesticides are used to kill unwanted weeds or brush, they leave behind residues that can be harmful to people, pets, plants, and wildlife. In addition, these chemicals negatively affect air and water quality in the immediate area. A lot of our customers choose goats because it is a clean, natural alternative for brush management that isn’t damaging to the environment.
When machinery is used to remove or manage brush, fossil fuels are burned and air pollution and noise are produced. In contrast, goats are ecofriendly and quiet mowers. What’s more, the portable fencing that we use to contain the goats while they work is solar powered. If you are looking for a sustainable and ecologically responsible way to manage vegetation, go green and go with goats!
3. Goats Improve Soil Quality While Managing Brush
While goats clear land and consume unwanted plants, they produce manure that fertilizes the soil. Don’t worry, goats don’t make huge cow pies that you will have to avoid or clean up later. Goat droppings are small pellets that easily spread out and disintegrate.
An application of natural fertilizer like goat manure can improve soil health. Healthy, balanced soil is needed to support the growth of desirable plants like grasses and flowers. Meanwhile, depleted soil is hospitable to very little and usually only bears weeds and brambles. If you want to start a pollinator garden or invest in some landscaping plants, a good time to kick off those projects is right after the goats leave the site.
4. Goats Aerate the Soil While Managing Brush
In addition to eating weeds, trampling brush, and producing fertilizer, goats churn up the ground while they move around and complete their work. The small, cloven hooves of a herd of goats can help aerate the soil, making it more receptive to seeding after their departure, if that is part of the post-brush management plan.
Compared to other heavier livestock, like cattle or horses, goats do very little erosive damage. If you have a large area of brush to manage, it works best to section off a quarter or half acre at a time and move the animals in a methodical manner. This not only ensures the project gets completed in its entirety, but also minimizes the effect of foot traffic in any one area as the animals naturally congregate in the shade or near their water supply.
5. Goats Destroy Seeds of Unwanted Plants While Managing Brush
When goats eat weeds and brush, they first grind the plant matter with their strong, serrated molars. They then swallow the mass and it enters the first of their four-chambered stomach. As ruminants, goats ferment and regurgitate their food to chew their cud before finally expelling waste.
Research has confirmed that these complex digestive processes result in less than 10 percent of seeds being viable in goat droppings (Harrington, Beskow, and Hodgson, 2011). This means that when goats work clearing brush, they are not merely reseeding what was already there, but instead can help eradicate a noxious plant species making the area more conducive to growing other desirable vegetation.
6. Goats are Fun to Watch While Managing Brush
Enjoyment is the final reason you should rent goats to clear brush on your property. Goats are fun to watch! Having goats for a few days will certainly spark the curiosity of your neighbors, friends, and family. Young and old alike will be entertained by their antics. They will play king of the mountain, stand on their hind legs, work together to bring down branches, and sleep cuddled with their buddies.
Many of our patrons become interested in purchasing goats as pets after they have goats work on their land. Goats are funny, sweet, intelligent creatures that are easy to love!
Renting Goats for Brush Management
We rent our goats out from May to September within a 30-mile radius of our farm in Mattawan, Michigan. We provide a quote for the goat rental after completing a free site visit to assess the property. The cost varies depending on the distance from our farm, square acreage involved, density of the vegetation, and difficulty of setting up our portable fence. For more information on working with us, please email [email protected]
If you aren’t local, a quick Google search can help you locate a contract grazer in your area.
Reference:
Harrington, K. C., Beskow, W. B., and Hodgson, J. (2011). Recovery and viability of seeds ingested by goats. New Zealand Plant Protection. 64:75-80.
Mother, farmer, author, and teacher by trade… She loves tending to things and watching them grow!