GREAT FALLS, Mont.- Bring out the goats! Roughly 600 goats at Malmstrom Air Force Base are back for the third year in a row to eat their unwanted weeds.
After talking with Malmstrom’s natural resource manager, they say it’s actually more beneficial and saves them money to use the goats to clean up these weeds instead of the herbicides they normally apply.
The goat herder, Ryan Joslin camps out on base and takes care of the goats every day. He tells us he has to wake up between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. to do so.
“It’s pretty fun. I’ve never herded goats before in my life. especially 600 of them,” said Joslin.
As it turns out, Malmstrom says the goat’s feces they leave behind on the ground actually helps the native grasses get strong chocking out the weeds, and adding nutrients back into the ground. These goats are contracted through Prescriptive Livestock, and this year marks their last year.
We asked if these goats will be back next year and Malmstrom says they have to run a weed analysis to see if the goats have reduced the weeds. Malmstrom says they’re not able to tell how much money it’s saved the base so far.
People have been asking why seeing the goats aren’t a public event. The answer is- Malmstrom says since this is on base it can’t be a public event, however those living on base can see the goats if they drive by.
Credit: www.kulr8.com