A Comprehensive Exploration Of Targeted Grazing With Goats

View the project final report

Commodities

• Animals: goats

Practices

• Animal Production: grazing management
• Farm Business Management: business planning

Landowners in Indiana face limited options regarding invasive plants treatments. The labor-intensive, expensive, or damaging effects of mechanical or hand removal often leave people turning to chemical treatment or quite simply, doing nothing at all to eradicate invasive species. Luckily there is a better option- goats! Several companies across the country successfully operate targeted grazing businesses. Unfortunately, those companies don't serve Indiana and there is not information available as to how these businesses are successfully operating.

If native species are to be preserved, targeted grazing must be an option for landowners everywhere. This means business information must be shared and easily replicated to encourage others to provide a targeted grazing service in their area.  By conducting a targeted grazing plan, examining the state-specific results, and tracking business information (startup/operating cost, client base identification, marketing information, and troubleshooting industry specific issues), this project will lay the foundation for a targeted grazing company that could be easily replicated by others. As a result of this project, farmers could offer grazing services for increased revenue, landowners would have an ecologically sound option for invasive plant eradication, and a platform for invasive plant education would be created.

1. Determine if a targeted grazing business model can be easily-replicated in other areas using information gathered from clients and potential clients.
2. Conduct state-specific targeted grazing research at Bradford Woods, specifically monitoring the quanitity of invasive plant species both pre and post-grazing. 
3. Share findings through field days and educational signage at the test site.