Creekside Goat Company's Goats -- LNN

By Connor Gunn

Using goats as weed control in Lethbridge parks

Jun 13, 2021 | 8:00 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB– The City of Lethbridge is again using the help of goats to kill their weeds in the city’s surrounding areas.

Goats grazed on the weeds in the Alexander Wilderness Park Friday afternoon.

The Creekside Goat Company goats feed off of weeds as they are like candy to them, there is a white sap-like syrup that sits on the spurge weeds that only goats can digest compared to other animals.

These goats live a good life eating leafy spurge, wormwood, thistle, crested wheatgrass, and brome grasses that are not native to the area.

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There are over 750 goats with the Creekside Goat Company that work all over Alberta and in parts of Saskatchewan.

Parks and Natural Resources Coordinator Jackie Cardinal, says using goats as a weed killer compared to pesticides is a much more eco-friendly approach.

“It’s environmentally friendly, the impact of them is so low, their droppings are gone in a few weeks, we’re not using any chemicals so it’s always a good educational piece too.”

The 200 goats currently in the area are managed by a herder and dogs that are trained to move and protect the goats from predators.

Although the herd dogs are friendly toward people, residents are reminded to keep dogs out of the area and not to pet the herd dogs or goats while they are working.

The goats and herders will be around in the Alexander Wilderness Park, and the Indian Battle Park throughout the summer.

To learn more about this program, visit www.lethbridge.ca/goats.

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