BRUSH CLEARING ON HILL LAND PASTURE WITH SHEEP AND GOATS

Much hill land pasture in the Appalachians is brush infested. Reclamat ion procedures which are low cost and require low input are needed to provide hill land pasture owners with ways to maintain production on t hese lands. A field experiment was carried our to evaluate the effecti veness of grazing either sheep (Ovis sp.) or goats (Capra sp.) separat ely or in combination for brush clearing on hill land pasture. Cutting or herbicide followed by grazing with sheep or goats were also compar ed. The experiment was conducted on a 1.8 ha powerline right of way fo r five years (1986 to 1990). Goats reduced brush cover from 45% to jus t over 15% in one year. Sheep took 3 years to bring about the same res ult. Cutting and herbicide application increased animal effectiveness, primarily that of sheep, but increased costs. Three year variable cos ts for brush clearing with goats were estimated at $33 ha(-1), sheep c ost was $262 ha(-1), while cutting costs were $133 and herbicide $593 ha(-1). Brush was cleared more cost effectively and rapidly by gears, bur at the end of 5 years ail treatments reduced brush cover to 2%.