[APWG] goat grazing

[Margaret McCasland]

Hi folks,

I am neither a botanist nor an ecologist, but I grew up with goats 
and felt it worth sharing a caution re: their eating habits. (I do 
have a general background in environmental education and my daughter 
has done work on invasive species, so I appreciate the dangers of 
introducing plants or animals into any ecosystem.) We acquired goats 
partially as a food source, but mostly to clear brush and poison ivy. 
What we found, and what I have heard from others, is that, in spite 
of their reputation to the contrary, goats are very selective in what 
they eat. They will under some circumstances eat all kinds of things, 
but given choices, they are choosey.

So I think introducing them--especially on a large scale--will be 
risky unless you know exactly what plants are in the area and which 
ones they will and will not eat. If there are any native plants still 
in the area, they might prefer those to the species you are trying to 
eradicate. You probably can't count on them eating the plant(s) you 
want to be rid of unless you plan to have so many goats that they end 
up with nothing else to eat and, as Craig indicated, overgraze.

A question I have is whether the variety of goat affects which plants 
they are likely to eat (I have no idea what the answer is, but goats 
bred for arid areas seem like they may have different food 
preferences than those raised in more temperate areas such as 
Europe).  But maybe all goats are adaptable enough that variety isn't 
relevant.

Margaret McCasland

Ithaca, NY