OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Officials say a central Oklahoma city has saved about $7,000 in wages and equipment upkeep by using a herd of goats as groundskeepers.
Chris Thomas is chief operator and goat manager at Midwest City’s water resources and recovery center. Thomas tells the Journal Record that the animals have proven so successful that the city will expand its herd again this spring to manage overgrowth at railroad rights of way and remove unwanted weeds.
About two-thirds of Midwest City’s herd is on loan from Langston University, which is partnering with many cities to use goats in steep drainage ditches. The city also purchased several goats on its own.
Langston professor Terry Gipson says the goat-sharing program has become popular. He says he’s working on another partnership with a municipality in the Tulsa area.
Most Read Nation & World Stories
___
Information from: The Journal Record, http://www.journalrecord.com