Question 1

Are goats more effective than pesticides?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Most large landowners have an annual budget for pesticides to manage their weeds. By using goats, over the course of 3-5 year the noxious weeds are eliminated and the land is returned to its natural state. Once this occurs, your weed management plan shifts to basic maintenance - which is a fraction of the cost. Read more in our articles.

Question 2

Will they eat my grass?

Accepted Answer

Goats don't like grass, it's definitely their last choice. As opposed to cattle and sheep, who are grazers, goats are browsers. So they don't compete for the same food, nor do they eat in the same way. For some crazy reason, goats love noxious weeds!

Question 3

Why do goats eat noxious weeds?

Accepted Answer

We don't really know. All we do know is that they LOVE them - the more noxious and prickly the better. Most animals, including sheep and cattle, will get sick if they eat these weeds. But goat's systems don't seem to be bothered by them at all and actually prefer them to most other things!

Question 4

How long will it take?

Accepted Answer

A herd of 100 goats will tackle about an acre per day. If they tackle that acre for 3-5 summers, most of the noxious weeds will be basically eliminated and the land will be healthier and more biodiverse. Then you can shift to a basic maintenance program, rather than agressive weed control.

Question 5

How do they help regenerate the land?

Accepted Answer

Not only do goats eat the noxious weeds in a way that doesn't allow for seeding, they also aerate, mulch, and fertilize at the same time! This means that the soil on your land is transformed from a breeding ground for invasive weeds back to its natural ecosystem.

Question 6

What weeds do they eat?

Accepted Answer

Goats love almost ALL weeds, especially the nasty ones. Check out our extensive list of weeds (with pics) to see what they like to chow on!

Question 7

Once they eat the weeds, can't they just go to seed?"

Accepted Answer

No! That's the amazing thing about goats. The way they like to eat weeds - flower first, then leaves, then stem - rendering the weed unable to photosynthesize. Do this for a few years and those weeds will be mostly eradicated and your land will be able regenerate.

Question 8

Is this a more cost-effective solution?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many land owners spend a large amount of money each year to control undesired plants (weeds and brush). This is an annual cost they incur every year. Enter goats. Over the course of 3-5 years the goats will eliminate your noxious weeds and regenerate the land through their own program of aerating, mulching, and fertilizing.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Goats for Weeds is part of the S/G Group.