Goats for weed control

15 years ago

Only in Chattanooga :-) thought y'all might get a kick out of our city's current solution to the weeds and kudzu growing up around the steep hillsides over the tunnels in town, etc.

We use goats! LOL ~tenderlee

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_138221.asp

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Comments (10)

susiewantsroses
15 years ago
tenderlee,

I was born and lived a long time in North Alabama. Kudzu drapes entire forests like a cloth looks thrown across a bush. It covers everything! Goats!!! How genius is that? I think I'll call my step dad and tell him to put away the sling blade (our farmer neighbors use chemicals).

Thanks!!!!

Susie-
sunnyca_gw
15 years ago
They use goats out here in Ca. too. Also some other animal, think it was donkeys. Out on some of islands in ocean to control something but they did little too well & numbers grew so they brought some of the donkeys to mainland. Islands don't have people but some kind of weeds. My girlfriend had 3/4 acre in city & used a sheep to keep it down. It was a very fat sheep! Jan
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If you take a look at photos I have posted on Cottage Garden-gallery (see "Things are starting to fill in") you will understand that I know from what I speak (my whole garden is a slope). When we bought this property many years ago, it was covered with maple trees which provided slightly less than total darkness under which nothing would grow (except weeds). I tackled this mess one area at a time. As my knowlege grew--so did the number and size of the beds. Try to do only what you can reasonably do well at the moment. You will have the time, however limited , to monitor your beds and watch for problems, happy accidents (like a volunteer seedling having planted itself). You will also learn if the plant choices you have made like the home you have provided them. This alone could save you a lot of frustration, time and financial investment. Having tried landscape fabric-difficult to keep in place,mulch tends to slide off (particularly in a hard rain). I prefer to use the 'lasagna method'. Lay down 8 layers of wet newspaper overlapping edges so weeds can't find a way through and cover with several inches of mulch (I find shredded bark works best because it will knit together and prevent sliding. Many local landfills provide this to the community at little to no cost.). Leave to overwinter. This method will not only help to control the weed problem, but will also add beneficial elements to the quality of the clay soil. Ask your friends and relatives if they would help you by saving their old newspapers for you (you will need quite a bit). I don't know the ages of your little ones, but if they are anything like my two kids were at toddler stage and up, there is nothing they would like more than helping mom and dad. Especially if it involves the opportunity to "play" in the water and get soaking wet outside. You could try this project on a hot summer day In the spring you can plant. What plants will depend on your light conditions. I hope this is helpful.
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We bought 3 pygmy goats (1 male, 2 female) in December, so here's our experience so far. They LOVE honeysuckle, and we can't pull it down fast enough, but they don't eat the woody vines (at least ours don't). They also love a lot of other things like dogwood leaves, so like you all have noted, they don't discriminate between the desirable and undesirable. They are cute and sweet natured and easy to keep. The small size of a pygmy, even when they rear up on their hind legs doesn't allow them to munch anything but the lowest branches. That also means that they don't always pull down the honeysuckle that has grown far up into some of the trees. We have 9 acres; the goats are kept in a fenced area near the barn/workshop at one end of the property on about a half acre or so. So far they have done a great job of keeping down the weed growth on the fence line (old fence between us and the neighbors plus the new fence), plus all the undergrowth in 2-3 groves of trees. They also graze, which to my husband's delight, reduces his mowing in this area. We think the 2 females are pregnant. One neighbor already wants 2, and we plan to keep some for future breeding so we can eventually fence off some other areas for them to work on. I wish you folks in the city could have some. They are low maintenance, feed we supplement with is cheap, and they make great little pets also. And yes, Carol, you need to have at least a pair as they like to stick together. Hope this info is useful.
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tennesseetrash
Original Author
15 years ago
Yep, goats are lots greener for the environment than chemicals.

Not surprised they're using grazing animals elsewhere, I shouldn't have said Only in Chatta probably. I just meant it in a hillbilly kind of way lol.

The goats don't mind grazing on these steep hills around here. They eat the heck out of kudzu, which drapes over much of the South.

Susierose, my paternal grandparents are from NW Ala. Got relatives still living there.

Well all I can say is baaaa baaaaa baaaaa *grin* ~tenderlee
princess_mimi
15 years ago
What a GREAT idea! I'm from the hills of Pennsylvania and goats would be perfect to trim back the steep hillsides!

~~Mimi
sunnyca_gw
15 years ago
Oh, this is about animals but little off subject, GF in Wis had nephew go to China last winter, he emailed her about the pig farms!! He is a vet. dr. so works with animals & couldn' understand having pigs all over but no smell, guide said, see those people with those containers, they run around after the pigs & clean up poop & it is taken & turned into fuel for heating.Only fresh poop works tho. That was 1 of many interesting things he learned on trip. I hear 1 of Carolina's is full of pig farms & it could be new fuel source altho I think we would have to import Chinese folks to clean up after the pigs as don't think anyone over here would do it. About goats I lived on farm for short time when 5 & we lived in basement house, every time I stepped outside the billygoat knocked me down,I sure hated that critter!!Mom didn't like the farm either so we left after about 3 mos. If I see a goat I go the other way.Jan
tennesseetrash
Original Author
15 years ago
Funny story about the vet in China, Jan! I imagine that methane is the gas they're getting from the fresh poop. Lots of chicken growers in this area do that with chicken poop also.

My hubby was a country boy, and had a billy goat named what else but Billy lol. He said that goat was mean as the devil! He said goats really smell too. But they're one of the few critters that will eat kudzu and some other weeds.

They've been doing this here in town for 2 or 3 years now, and the only problem so far has been protecting the goats from the occasional unleashed dog or other large animals.

Mimi, maybe they can use a little goat power in PA too! The steep terrain doesn't seem to phase them! ~tenderlee
luna_llena_feliz
15 years ago
What a cool idea! I know they used to use sheep for cutting the lawns on big estates years ago. I always wish our city would allow us to have chickens. I know Madison, WI does. They allow people to have 2 hens for eggs. They eat bugs and provide wonderful fertilizer besides providing fresh eggs.

Sunnyca, you reminded me of the goats that they have a petting zoos. If you aren't quick enough to feed them, they will actually jump up on you like a dog. And, yes, they are pretty smelly!
cindee11461
15 years ago
Goats are great for weed control. We had one before too!! I would like to have some more to eat weeds in the future. Right now we have range cows but they can do more damage then good at times.
amesly
15 years ago
We use them up in Canada too, and saw on TV a lady in the Seattle area has a business renting them out!

She calls it Rent a Ruminant! I thought that was pretty good. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Rent A Ruminant
sunnyca_gw
15 years ago
Tenderlee, you reminded me, there was article in paper about the goats & they mentioned they have 2 dogs guarding them & keeping them from straying. Could get dangerous as we do have occasional mountain lion, & dogs in packs & coyotes even a bear. But they do a great job!! The last bear that showed up took over a swimming pool, it was really funny, it was quite a few miles away towards Ventura, don't think they have been this close.

Goats for weed control

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