How to hire a goat grazing company

Goat grazing looks simple, so it is easy to assume every provider is the same. They are not. A herd is a lot of live animals working on your land, near your neighbors, with fire, fences and insurance in the picture. Here are twelve questions worth asking any grazing company, including us, and what good answers look like.

The twelve questions

1. Can I see your certificate of insurance? A reputable operator carries liability insurance and can send a certificate quickly. Public bodies and HOAs usually require one. See the business side of grazing.
2. Is a herder on site, and how often? The animals need to be watched. Ask who is there each day and how they can be reached.
3. How is the herd protected? In predator country, ask about livestock guardian dogs and the fencing. Ask what happens at night.
4. How is the herd watered and cared for? Ask about water, minerals, shade and heat plans.
5. How is the fencing done? Most professional operators use temporary electric netting moved in cells. Ask how it is monitored. See how grazing cells work.
6. How do you build the quote? A good quote reflects acreage, vegetation, terrain, access, water, fencing and timing. Be wary of a single price per head or a goats-per-acre rule without seeing the site. See why there is no magic number.
7. What will the land look like when you finish? Ask for the target, such as grazed to a stated height. Ask what is not covered, such as large trees, woody stems or plants the goats will not eat.
8. Do I need a second pass? Seeds and roots mean one pass rarely finishes the job. See the seed bank problem.
9. What do you do about toxic plants? The herder should walk the site and fence off anything dangerous. See plants that are poisonous to goats.
10. What do you need from me? Typically water, access for a trailer and a clear site. See the preparation checklist.
11. How are your herders employed and paid? California has specific rules for herders, and the industry has had real compliance pressure. A company that is open about it is a good sign.
12. Can you give me references? Ask for recent clients with similar properties, and call them.

Red flags

• A price per head or per acre before seeing the site. Real work depends on the plants and the ground.
• No insurance certificate, or reluctance to send one.
• No herder on site, or goats left unattended.
• "Fireproof" claims. Grazing does not fireproof a property. Anyone who says it does is overselling. See what the research says.
• No plan for water, predators or heat.
• Pressure to sign at once. Good operators will walk the site and send a written scope.

Get it in writing

Ask for a written scope that names the area, the dates, what you provide, what the company provides, the target result, the number of passes and the price. For public bids, see our guide to writing grazing into an RFP or HOA bid.

How we answer these

We would rather you ask. We carry insurance, send certificates and references, and size every project to the site, which is why we ask for your address and photos before quoting. If something here is not covered by our answers, ask us. We also say plainly when a job is not a good fit. See how a project works.