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Introduction
Introduction
By: Brianna Corrion and Sierra Barnes
Poor soil health and soil erosion are issues that are running rampant throughout the United States today. Lack of composting at the Sustainable Agriculture Project (SAP) off of the Grand Valley State University (GVSU), campus is another issue that we saw to be one of great importance. Therefore, we started by looking for ways to improve the current composting system at the SAP, while also improving the soil health on the farm. We originally started on a very traditional route, interviewing the Farm Manager and an ENS professor on campus and exploring composting bins and systems that had been used on other farms. Our challenge was making it on a small-scale so it was relatively easy to maintain but complex enough to handle the organic waste that the SAP is producing.
Our project took a turn shortly after. During a brain dump, we pitched the idea of goat composting, even though we did not think that it was feasible in any sense. Our instructor enjoyed the idea and pushed us to explore bringing goats into our project. This sent us on an entirely different trajectory, into one of goat manure and rotational grazing. Now, our project focuses on improving soil health through the utilization of goats and rotational grazing. We have found many organizations that have successfully used goats for this purpose previously, so we hope that our project brings about a discussion of thinking outside the box to provide solutions for issues in our own backyards.
Beeeeeenefits of Goats
Beeeeeenefits of Goats
Invasive Species Management
Soil Health
Composting
Goat Therapy
Prevalent Invasive Species in West Michigan:
Hemlock woolly-adelgid
Oriental bittersweet
Garlic mustard
Buckthorn
Phragmites (aquatic)
Japanese knotweed
Autumn olive
Purple loosestrife
Japanese barberry
Bush honeysuckle
Spotted knapweed
Black and Pale swallow-worts
Invasive Species Management
Invasive Species Management
Invasive species are harmful to native animals because they do not tend to have natural predators in the area. This allows them to take over the land because there are little to no limits on their growth and reproduction. They also tend to outcompete native species, killing them off in the process. This disrupts natural systems and alters the diversity of species in an area.
While goats do not remove the invasive weeds in total, they take off the top of the plant. This allows for a group to come behind them and continue removal. Many goats prefer invasive species over native plants and grasses as well, making them adept for the job.
Soil Health
Soil Health
Many farms struggle with declining soil health and soil erosion. These issues can be solved or at the least improved through rotational grazing. Rotational grazing is a form of grazing where the animals are moved frequently to allow for regrowth of plants. This also allows for manure to be spread more even throughout the pasture and increases nutrient uptake in the soil.
Benefits
Decreases weed and soil problems
Greater yield potential
Higher quality of foraging available
More uniform soil fertility levels
More stable production during poor growing conditions
Challenges
High-density of animals needed for large pastures
Labor needed for movement of animals and pens
Pen technology needed for movement
Increase in:
OM content
Total Nitrogen
Available Phosphorus
Exchangeable cations (K, Ca and Mg)
Cation exchangeable capacity (CEC)
Improved soil texture
Composting
Composting
Goats and composting go hand in hand, as illustrated in the Examples of Goat Use section, below. This is due to the fact that goats can eat weeds, invasive species, and food waste. This waste, once ingested by the goats, is able to pass through their digestive system. After the digestive system, it comes out as manure and this manure contains many nutrients that can be taken in by the soil it drops on. While the goats continue to graze, their hooves work their feces into the ground, improving the soil's retention of these nutrients.
What can Goats Eat?
What can Goats Eat?
Hay
Hay
There are 3 types
Legume Hay:
Highest digestable energy
2 x the protein of grass hays
3 x the calcium of grass hays
Preferred hay for feeding goats
Grass Hay:
Suitable maintenance hay for goats
Grass hays are more digestable when made from plants that are fine stemmed and inmature
Cereal Hay:
Harvested before grain is produced or when seed head is mature
If not properly harvested there is risk of nitrate poisoning
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits
watermelon
pears
peaches
bananas
grapes
raspberry
blackberry
mulberry
Vegetables
lettuce
pumpkin
celery
carrots
squash
spinach
Fruits and veggies are like a treat for goats so they must be eaten in moderation.
Also it is important to make sure they are cut up into small pieces, so there is no risk of choking.
Chips and Crackers
Chips and Crackers
Graham crackers
cheerios
cheetos
fritos
doritos
It is up to your discretion with what you want to feed goats, however too much of anything isn't good for them.
What they CANNOT eat:
avocado
chocolate
kale
garlic
onion
any source of caffeine
citrus fruits
Weeds
Weeds
Goats love to eat weeds. They perfer woody plants first, then clover and grass. They will eat everything if they are concentrated in a smaller area.
Weeds the can eat:
musk thistle
canadian thistly
multiflora rose
horseweed
lambsquarter
ragweed
burdock
poison ivy and poison oak
Weeds they CANNOT eat:
mountain laurel
black nightshade
rhododendron
horse nettle
lilacs
milweed
wild cherries
lily of the valley
holly trees and bushes
Goat Therapy
Goat Therapy
Effects of Goats on Mental Health:
Just petting animals releases a relaxation response
Lowers anxiety
Reduces loneliness and feelings of isolation
Increases socialization
Lessens boredom and overthinking
Provides people with a form of motivation and responsibility
Goats bond easily with humans because of their sociable nature, so they are proven to provide a "happy distraction."
Goat Yoga Benefits:
With the known physical and mental health benefits of yoga, and the effects animals have on mental health, there is a strong recipe for feeling great!
Not to mention it is quite entertaining to have goats wander around you as you attempt some fun yoga poses, which makes for some great videos too.
Goats are also proven to release dopamine, especially since they are so cute!
Examples of Goat Use
Examples of Goat Use
Goats on the Go
Goats on the Go
Goats on the Go is a business that contracts goats out for targeted grazing.
Chad Steenhoek and Aaron Steele are the founders of this business. Goats on the Go works in partnership with Happy Roots Compost.
"Goats and compost — may seem unrelated at first glance, but Chad explained that the two are quite complementary."
Chad and Aaron use the goat manure in the production of their compost. They also bring in revenue from contracting out their goats to farmers to use for invasive species and weed control.
Eden Hall Campus
Eden Hall Campus
"Eden Hall Campus has a herd of nine goats “on staff” that help remove invasive plants that cause harm to forest ecosystems."
Chickens and ducks are used in addition to goats as weed and invasive species management on Eden Hall Campus. This project is headed by the Livestock Team on campus and has been found to be very successful since its implementation in 2019.
The job of these goats is to clear the understory of the forested areas. Most of this brush is invasive species, therefore making the job of these goats very important. After the goats have eaten the stems and leaves of the invasive plants, sunlight and air can reach the native species. This allows the native species to grow and thrive.
Goat Green LLC
Goat Green LLC
Lani Malmberg
"Lani Malmberg and her goats can be seen throughout cities, towns, and countrysides in the Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Texas and surrounding areas.
Her work is an inspirational example of successful pesticide-free weed control management."
This organization has used goats to remove weeds in places such as:
The Congressional Cemetery, Washington, DC
O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, IL
Google Corporate Campus, Mountain View, CA.
Necessary Background Information
Necessary Background Information
Soil Composition
Soil Composition
Data from the SAP
Soil Samples
Soil Samples
Methods of Measurement
Improvements
Improvements
Goals of the Project
Soil Composition
Soil Composition
Current Soil Composition at the Sustainable Agriculture Program
pH: Average of 7.7
Nitrogen: Recommendation of application of 130 pounds per acre
Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and Magnesium (Mg) are above optimal levels
We conducted pH tests of our own samples that we took from the Sustainable Agriculture Project. First, we applied vinegar to soil from our sample. Fizzing and bubbling occurred, indicating that the soil was reacting to the vinegar. Second, we applied baking soda and water to the soil to see if it would react. We found that it did not react, as we heard no fizzing and there were no visual signs of bubbling. Therefore, we concluded that the soil is more alkaline and has a higher pH since it reacted to the vinegar, which was further supported in the above reports.
Soil Samples
Soil Samples
To measure the impact of the goats on soil health at the SAP, there will be soil samples taken biannually that will be analyzed for the percentage of organic material, the acidity of the soil, and the nitrogen levels. From there, it will be compared to the other samples taken previously in the same location. This will allow for a quantification of the impacts of using goats as a composter.
The process of measuring the soil will be succinct and comparable for every sample:
Utilization of a soil auger for extraction of soil
Analysis of the soil horizons present
Measurement of organic matter horizon
pH test in lab
Nitrogen test in lab
Improvements
Improvements
Goals of the Project
Increasing Nitrogen levels in the soil
Lowering or maintaining the pH of the soil
Increasing Organic Matter
Clearing land for agricultural purposes while returning the nutrients harvested back into the soil
Control invasive plant species
Implementation
Implementation
Pen Design
Pen Design
Dimensions
Bottom rope 8 inches from ground
Ropes rest 8-12 inches apart from one another
Each paddock being 45'x25'
Posts 5'-8' apart from each other
Posts 4'-6' tall, with 6 layers of fencing
Logistics
Movable pen, able to be relocated as needed to support rotational grazing
Movable shelters and water troughs within the pen
Utilization of potential new shed for the housing of goats during the winter
Materials
Portable electric fence (made with poly rope)
Solar charging power source
Plastic posts
Water Troughs
Buuuuuudget
Buuuuuudget
$250- Solar Panel
$300 per goat
$213 - Fencing
$100 - Other Building Materials
Estimated $1 per day for feeding goats
Number of Goats Proposed: 5
Goat Types
Goat Types
Saanen
Saanen
Type: Dairy goat
Physical Appearance:
White or light cream colored, with short hair
130-170 lbs, about 60-80 cm tall
Additional Characteristics:
Sensitive to excessive sunlight, and performs well in cooler conditions
Need shade
Prefer groups of 2 or more
one of the calmest breeds
Typically do not have horns
life span 9-15 years
Diet: They love to browse (this means they love eating grass, leaves, and other plant growth)
Myotonic
Myotonic
Type: Breeding Goat
Physical Appearance:
come in many different colors and hair lengths
60-174 lbs, about 17-25 inches tall
Additional Characteristics:
Easy to keep fenced in
Great bone density and overall muscling compared to other breeds
highly parasite resistent
The only breed native to the US
Calm, docile breed, typically bred for pets
Can be found with horns and without
life span 12-15 years
Diet: they like to eat fresh, fibrous grasses and shrubs
Boer
Boer
Type: Meat Goat
Physical Appearance:
white body and a red head, with floppy ears
Largest of the goat breeds, can weigh up to 250-350 lbs, 17-42 inches tall
Additional Characteristics:
one of the most common goat breeds in the US today
Perfer cooler climates
calmer disposition and do not need much to be entertained
They are very adaptive
Life span 12-20 years
Diet: Love to eat scraps from the kitchen and they like weeds, leaves, shrubs, and brush
Post-Implementation
Post-Implementation
1 year later
1 year later
Analysis of the biannual soil samples
Evaluation of soil health and goat manure's impact
Reassess pen design
Evaluate if more goats are feasible or productive
5 years later
5 years later
Increase goat population on the farm
Redesign pen
Analysis of the biannual soil samples
Evaluation of soil health and goat manure's impact
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