News Yokkaichi in Mie turns to goats to cut grass-mowing costs

Retournons à la nature: Yokkaichi City in Mie has turned to goats to do work previously done by people, marking the first time the municipality has used the animals for the task. The nine goats are expected to graze on weeds around a retention pond in the Yamanoisshikichō district through December. City officials said the aim was to prevent excessive vegetation from reducing the pond's ability to store and drain water.

The goats arrived from Mei Mei Farm in Uda, Nara Prefecture, and were released at the site on 8 June. They quickly got to work, immediately grazing on the overgrown grass. The area assigned to them covers roughly 4,700 square metres, about the size of 18 doubles tennis courts. A shelter has also been set up to protect the animals from rain and strong winds while they remain at the pond.

According to Shuji Uehira, representative of the farm, one goat eats two 90-liter bags' worth of grass and weeds a day. He said that during the period when they are eating such food, their droppings do not smell. The city introduced the goats as an environmentally friendly method. As the goats consume grass and weeds, there is no need to dispose of it. Costs, previously around 800,000 yen (approx. $5,000), have been reduced to about 500,000 yen (about $3,100). The municipal government will assess the effectiveness of the initiative and consider whether to introduce goats at other sites.

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