Why target browsing with goats is growing like the weeds they eat

If you happened to notice more than 100 goats munching away near Calgary's Shaganappi Trailrecently, you should know they were on the clock and not to be disturbed.

The goats belong toBaah'dPlant Management andReclamation, which has in the past been hiredby the City of Calgary to clean up the weeds at Confluence Park.

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This time the four-legged weed-killing machines are spending the summer working for theWest Campus Development Trust. The new gig comes after a successful workshop last year.

"It creates that curiosity for people asking why the goats are on the side of the slope in the University District. Obviously the City of Calgary uses them, some of theother developers are using them as well," said director of marketing and communications Maureen Henderson.

The goats move from site to site as needed.

"And it's workingexceptionally well for the other people that have used them," said Henderson.

Gawking at the goats

Baah'd'sowner and shepherd Jeannette Hallsays there have been lots of visitorssometimes as many as 200 a day.

"Right now we're working quiteclose toShaganappi," she said, adding drivers have been noticing.

Hall encourages interested parties to drive up to the parking lots south of the Alberta Children's Hospital.

"We are in a pretty public spot, so we knew there would be a lot of people around too."

She says the goatsare economical, environmentally friendly and more effective than pesticides that kill everything. They aretrained to grow a taste forspecific weeds and haveshepherds, dogs and horsesaround tomovethem to new areas when needed.

Their droppingsfertilize the soil, and their hooveshelptill, aerate and condition the land.

Hall adds they're also anideal animal for weed control because,unlike other species of livestock, they don't redistribute theinvasive speciesthrough theirfeces because their stomachs are very acidic.

Business growing

Business is booming and Hall says they have plans toexpandto Red Deer, Lacombeand possibly even Edmonton.

She's beenworking withConrad Lindblom of Rocky Ridge Vegetation Control, based out of Beaverlodgein northern Alberta,to get professional standards in place.

He has been at the forefront of the idea, but now wants to retire.

Lindblomsays there are many other companies starting up to take on the challenge, and they can make good money.

He has offeredworkshops at the University of theFraser Valley, and ishoping to develop curriculum for Williams Lake'sApplied Sustainable Ranching program.

Other applications

There are alsoso many other applications to the business model the newest being to help ranchers clear their cattle grazing fields of weeds, but leaving the grasses for their livestock.

There is also the potential forgoat meat, if companies can get livestock designation for their mobile operations.

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And the industrycreates jobs for professionalshepherdswhoguide the goats to the right weed targets.

But many in the business want to see the job done right, and are hoping to see professional standards. Hall says they avoid the "set it and forget it" approach.

"You can't just do it with any group offarm goats," he said.

Hall agrees training is needed, and is happy to help others looking to get into the business.

"There is just so much demand for it. I think it will do really well, but we have to make sure we are facilitating ourselves to succeed," she said.

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