Why use Terra Vita goats?

• Our management is the key:
• Site specific plans to ensure weed problems are addressed correctly.
• We manage for health of desired plants at the expense of unwanted plants.
• We treat the cause of a problem (rather than symptoms).
• Scientifically sound, with monitoring to ensure progress.
• Goats selectively graze weeds and brush over grasses.
• Goats recycle nutrients in the form of dung and urine, fertilizing desired perennial grasses.

What can goats do?

• Weed Management: Leafy spurge, Knapweeds, Larkspur, Canada thistle, Hounds tongue, & more.
• Brush management: Juniper, Sagebrush, Hawthorne, Salt Cedar, Buck brush, & many others.
• Fire management: Firebreak construction & Fuel reduction.

How many acres/day can you treat?

Using electric fence 4-10 acres/day. Herding can treat up to 100 acres/day. It all depends on the project and density of the weeds. Call for a free estimate.

How many treatments are needed?

Usually 1 treatment/year for 3 years will reduce weeds or brush significantly. However, 2 grazing treatments per year is optimal.

How much do your services cost?

Price varies per project. Call us for a free and accurate on-site estimate.

What kind of goats do you use?

We have Cashmere goats that are Spanish/Boer crosses. Our goats are trained professionals: trained to eat weeds, mind border collies, and stay in electric fence.

How do you manage the goats?

We herd the goats with border collies or use electric fencing depending on the goals of the project. Our herders stay on the premises day and night to ensure project success.

How do you move the goats to new projects?

We usually walk them and occasionally use semi trucks to haul them to the next project.

What does Terra Vita mean?

It’s Latin for Vital Land. We believe that healthy land is essential to a region’s environmental, economic, and social well-being.

What research experience do you have?

Brandon has a M.S. in Zoology from Washington State University, where he studied the ecology of invasive species in Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. We currently have a project in progress near Billings, MT.

What wildlife projects do you consult on?

Sage grouse, big game, riparian improvement, threatened or endangered species habitat improvement. Brandon was previously employed as a wildlife biologist in northeast Wyoming, where he worked on a variety of wildlife issues in the region.

What ranching experience do you have?

We live and work on a ranch in northeast Wyoming that relies on livestock and wildlife for income. Brandon previously managed a 16,000 acre ranch in southeast Montana, where we implemented an intensive grazing program with the aim of improving range productivity.