Location: Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center
Project Number: 3070-12610-001-024-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2026
End Date: Mar 31, 2027
Objective:
Many livestock producers in Oklahoma wish to control and reduce invasive species in their pastures to allow more forage to grow supporting beef cattle production. The cooperator has a well established track record of research using goats to control weeds. The objective of this project is to conduct on-farm demonstrations using goats to consume unwanted vegetation. Impact of targeted grazing with goats will be assessed using the Rangeland Analysis Platform, an ARS-maintained on-line tool for monitoring rangeland vegetation.
Approach:
Phase 1: Four sites in south-central Oklahoma having significant prevalence of invasive forage species and brushy species will be selected. At each site, 10 goats will be contained using ElectroStop 10/42/12 electric netting powered by a SolarStop 240 Fence energizer. Twelve to 14 rolls of electric netting will be used per site, enough to fence in approximately two acres of ground. Waterers and feeders will be supplied, and a salt block will be provided. The owners of the land will be responsible for day-to-day monitoring of the goats, any supplemental feed given, and providing water. The experiment is expected to begin in April 2026 and run through mid to late October depending upon forage growth.
Phase 2: RAP will be used to determine changes in forage species over time. At each site, the grazed area will be compared with adjacent ungrazed areas of similar size. An initial inventory of plant species in grazed and control areas will be conducted prior to the experiment. The Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) will be used to assess treatment effect on forage production and cover of perennial forbs and grass, annual forbs and grass, shrubs, trees, bare ground. Multitemporal forage biomass and vegetation cover data for pastures grazed with goats and controls will be retrieved from RAP. Production data will consist of RAP estimates for the period spanning two months prior to treatment through the end of the growing season whereas cover data for treated and control pastures will include RAP annual estimates for 2025 and 2026.
Phase 3: Extension and Outreach activities will be conducted with goat ranchers and farmers of Oklahoma to discuss the results of these on-farm trials.