Benefits of Renting a Goat
Do you want a freshly mowed lawn without the burning of fossil fuels that comes with running a lawn mower? Well, that’s exactly where goats come in. Here are some of the biggest benefits of renting a goat:
Healthier for Humans and the Environment
Gas lawn mowers burn fossil fuels and spew out hazardous air pollutants, like carbon monoxide. Lawn mowers also release volatile organic compounds that can cause respiratory issues and cardiovascular problems, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Goats may not smell pleasant, but they’re a much healthier option for the environment and humans since they eliminate the need for lawn mowers.
No Need to Buy Pesticides, Herbicides, or Fertilizers
Since goats enjoy munching on weeds and invasive species that could otherwise quickly take over your yard, like kudzu, you won’t have to worry about using chemical herbicides or pesticides. Plus, you’ll get the added bonus of free fertilizer, aka manure, as goats work throughout the day.
Remove More than Grass
If you’re tired of getting on your knees in the dirt and tackling that untamable crabgrass, goats will soon be your new gardening best friend. Be it prickly thorns, itchy poison ivy, or other weeds, goats will chomp through more than just grass, saving you time spent maintaining your lawn.
And, since they love plants that can cause allergic reactions in humans or poke you if you’re not careful, you can also avoid some of the less pleasant elements of gardening.
Reduce Forest Fires
By thinning out excess vegetation, goats can help create fire breaks that prevent forest fires from spreading. For this reason, goats are an especially common source of fire management in states prone to wildfires, like Nevada and Oregon. But they’re still good to have around if you live in any region susceptible to droughts.
Costs
You could save anywhere between $1,600 and $3,000 per acre if you choose to rent goats for land clearing rather than invest in regular lawn mowing services.
Keep in mind that if you have less than an acre of land, some goat rental companies may not offer you rental packages or services, or the cost may be less beneficial compared to the cost of hiring a local lawn care service. Overall, goats will usually still save you money, even if your property is smaller.
Goats are famously agile, which means they can tackle your weed problems with ease, even if you have sloped or uneven terrain. What’s even better is that they don’t charge extra for challenging landscapes like humans do.
What to Know Before You Rent a Goat
Should you hire a lawn care company or a gaggle of goats to keep your lawn looking great? Here are a few things to know before making your decision.
1. Not All Lawns Are Right for Goats
First, you’ll need to determine if your lawn is the right job for a goat. Goat rental is best for lawns that:
Consider how fast your grass grows. If you live in an area with plenty of moisture and sun, goats can help prevent large yards or pieces of land from becoming overgrown.
However, in the same way that you should always mow high to maintain healthy, green grass and prevent dead spots, you may not want live animals chewing your slow-growing grass down to the roots.
2. Grass Isn’t a Goat’s First Choice
Here’s a quiet truth you may not know unless you’re a goat expert: Grass is not a goat’s favorite thing to eat. They’ll definitely eat grass, especially if there’s nothing else to munch on, but they often prefer other vegetation more, which is typically why many people get goats for weeds and invasive species.
For example, goats can (and happily will) eat:
Goats have also been known to pull down tree branches, rip up shrubs, and dismantle saplings to get to tasty leaves. So, if you’re looking for a super-precise job, goats may not be the best option for your lawn. At the very least, you may want to tarp off specific areas you don’t want them to wander into looking for food.
Bringing in a goat wrangler beforehand can also be helpful, as they can install a portable electric perimeter to contain the herd and identify or block off potential goat hazards (i.e., steep drop-offs or poisonous plants).