By Blake Jackson
University of Missouri researchers are exploring an unconventional tool for restoring Missouri’s oak woodlands: goats. A three-year study in the Mark Twain National Forest found that carefully timed goat browsing can improve livestock forage while preserving the ecological condition of native woodlands, according to Cary Littlejohn of the University of Missouri.
Gina Beebe, a doctoral student in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at Mizzou, led the research. The findings could give private landowners another option for managing overgrown forests while creating opportunities for agricultural production.
Because goats naturally browse woody vegetation, they can consume unwanted plants such as honeysuckle and multiflora rose. Removing these invasive shrubs can give native plants, grasses and other desirable forage species more room to grow.
The research, supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and Mark Twain National Forest, is particularly relevant in Missouri, where approximately 83% of forestland is privately owned.
For landowners facing the expense and challenges of woodland restoration, targeted goat browsing could provide a practical management option. The approach also supports silvopasture, which combines trees, forage and livestock on the same land.
Researchers found spring browsing was especially effective for silvopasture. Goats feeding during spring encouraged nutritious grasses and legumes while reducing competing vegetation, creating better forage conditions for livestock without compromising woodland health.
"There has been a stigma against putting livestock in the woods, and these results showed that goats didn't destroy the place," Beebe said.
"I think this notion that livestock browsing in woodlands is bad isn’t always true. This is great news because we, as a state and country, don't have enough boots on the ground to manage all the woodland acreage. This study suggests that we can integrate our livestock into our conservation efforts, and everyone wins."
Prescribed fire remains an important method for restoring oak woodlands. However, weather conditions can limit the number of days when controlled burns can be conducted safely.
"There's a limited window to actually burn," Beebe said. "In this part of the world, we pretty much only burn in the late fall to early spring, and then you only have a few days in that window when it's not raining or snowing or too windy to burn safely."
The researchers found that fire and goat browsing can serve different purposes. Prescribed fire was more effective for increasing native woodland plants and overall diversity, while spring goat browsing showed promise for silvopasture.
The findings suggest combining these strategies could give Missouri landowners additional ways to balance conservation, livestock production and wildlife habitat.
Photo Credit: pexels-michalrobak
Categories: Missouri, Education, Livestock, Goats & Sheep