Forget herbicides, weed-whackers: get some goats, study says

Municipalities across Canada should consider swapping herbicides for goat herds to control weeds on environmentally sensitive lands, a British Columbia study has concluded.

The study, led by University of Northern British Columbia professor Annie Booth, tracked the eating habits of goats for two summers in Prince George. The study found the goats effectively cleared properties of hearty weeds including thistle, hawk weed, dandelion and horsetails.

"As soon as we unloaded them, they turned around and started eating dandelions," Booth said. "They do their job which is clear up and clean out the weeds here."

"We were very pleased to discover that goats do provide a very effective form of weed control, particularly for some tricky weeds that are difficult to eradicate even with the use of herbicides."

While different communities around the globe have used goats to control weeds, Booth's study is believed to be the first study of its kind quantifying the efficacy of the method. The research was conducted by a partnership between UNBC and the City of Prince George.

Booth also noted that using goats in place of herbicides is kinder to the environment and suggests municipalities might consider leasing herds of goats for the summer months.

"[They can] work with goat owners in the area to lease out a herd every summer," she proposed. "I think [it] would be a very effective way for a city to go. We'll see if Prince George decides to move in that direction."

Booth will present her findings to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.