Goat grazing as part of an integrated approach to weed control
Goats are great weed grazers. They are not fussy eaters so will munch through a range of woody and broad-leafed weeds, and unlike other introduced grazers, weed seeds are not usually viable once they have passed through a goat’s digestive tract.
Our new team members will be in the R&D Bushland which is 2 hectares in size and is just outside the Sanctuary’s predator proof fence. The vegetation here is a largely degraded with 43 different introduced species recorded, including blackberry, kikuyu grass, spear thistle and drain sedge.
We currently use a range of weed control methods such as hand weeding, brush cutting and the use of chemicals. The aim of the goat grazing project is to achieve long term control of weeds in a shorter timeframe, with less chemicals and prepare the site for revegetation.
We have partnered with GrazeAway who specialise in using goats for invasive weed control. In fact, if you’ve ever driven along the Eastern Freeway, you may have already seen some of their goats in action!
A pulse grazing methodology where the herd size fluctuates from lower numbers in the cooler months when weed growth is low to higher numbers during the warmer peak growth times.
The breed of goats being used are South African Boer Goats. Our first three goats arrived 26 February 2024, they are 18 months old and got straight to work eating the Drain Flat-sedge!
We will be updating the goat progress during their time with us this year – so come back regularly to find out what our goats have been up to!
Did you know
Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary has a long history with using goats for weed control. In the 1980s a goat monorail was established whereby goats were tethered to a single wire line that ran along a track. The goats were able to freely move up and down the track and kept it free of vegetation. Goats were utilised as part of weed control and track maintenance within the sanctuary until the early 2000s (pictured is Giselle, the last goat on the monorail).
