Goats for weed management in Montana• Brush removal •Pasture recovery • Rangeland management
The Montana Weed Law
The Montana Weed Law
Why worry about weeds?
It’s the law in Montana.
Montana’s first weed law was enacted in 1895, and the Montana Weed Control Act was signed into law in 1948.
The Montana weed law states that “it is unlawful for any person to permit any noxious weed to propagate or go to seed on the person’s land, except that any person who adheres to the noxious weed management program of the person’s weed management district, or who has entered into and is in compliance with a noxious weed management agreement is considered to be in compliance with this section.”
Montana Code Annotated, MCA 7-22-2116.
Benefits of Maintaining a Healthy Land Ecosystem
Provide better forage and food for livestock
Protect native plants
Protect water and soil resources
Enhance property values and improve aesthetics
Save money and time on weed reduction
Improve wildlife habitat
Be a good neighbor
Create a weed inventory map
It’s important for Montana landowners who want to improve their land to create a weed inventory.
Draw a map of your property and note where weeds are located, as well as areas of bare or disturbed soil. That’s where weeds will soon appear. Weeds are highly competitive and thrive where soils have been depleted or disturbed.
Recognizing the lifecycle and growth stage of your weeds is essential to good weed management.
This map is an essential first step to help you better understand where weed infestations are occurring or will occur.
A helpful tool for weed inventory mapping is the EDD MapS. You can find the app at www. eddmaps.org
Goat Security
Fencing and security
Fencing and animal security are the top priority for us when we bring animals to your property.
It's essential that we keep predators out, and goats in. That could mean a combination of livestock guard dog, electric fencing and onsite monitoring.
We can set up electric fencing on an existing barbed wire fence or field fence. If you don't have fence, we can install it.
Again, animal security is our top priority.
CASE studies in goats for weed control
Weed control success stories
Costs
Setting your weed-control goals and budget
Using goats for weed control is a longterm solution.
Rarely is it effective for us to bring in goats for a short-term period and hope to have success in controlling noxious weeds. Using livestock to control noxious weeds in Montana is a long-term process, and you should plan for three to five years of grazing management, perhaps in combination with other weed-control techniques.
Goats don't eat the entire weed. They browse the leaves and stems, stressing the the plant's root system.
Goats love to graze on seedheads of weeds like knapweed. That helps to reduce seed production and give other native plants a chance to catch up and thrive ... again.
You can have real success in controlling noxious weeds when you establish a longterm grazing program.
Fencing is one of the primary costs in establishing a grazing program. We can help you build fence if you don't have it.