Earlier this year, the Port of Green Bay awarded a contract to Wooly Green Grazers of Appleton for vegetation management at Renard Island.
Initially, there were around 50 sheep on the island in a rotational grazing process, with different groups of sheep on different quadrants on the island.
Since the vegetation grew so rapidly this season, Wooly Green Grazers saw it appropriate to introduce goats to the island to assist the sheep. Currently, there are over 100 animals on the island. The animals have now been working in a mob grazing process, with all teams running side by side on smaller sections, changing sections around every 36 hours. This is true for all except the ram team, which must stay away from the ewes until their breeding time in late October and early November.
With the help of the goats, grazing of the entire island is expected to be complete by the end of October, weather permitting. The current plan is for the flock to continue grazing until snow falls or the ground freezes.
“We are very pleased with all the progress that has been made. The Wooly Green Grazers have seamlessly adapted to effectively graze the island,” said Mark Walter Business Development Manager for the Port of Green Bay. “The sheep and goats offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to mechanical mowing. They have covered a lot of ground over the past few months and have been successful in managing the island’s vegetation.”
