Jul 22, 2008 8:23 pm US/Mountain
Program Trains Cows To Eat, Control Weeds
Written by Paul Day
Reporting
Paul Day
SUPERIOR, Colo. (CBS4) ―
A Boulder County Parks and Open Space program is training cows to eat weeds.
It's something the four-legged creatures don't normally do.
"Mostly, it's getting them over the idea that new things are scary," said Kathy Volt, one of two researchers working on the project.
The cows are enticed into eating weeds over a five-day period.
During the first four weeks, they're fed something new and nutritious. Then, on the fifth day, weeds are added to the food barrel and the cows chow down.
The goal, explained Volt, is to add a new tool for controlling invasive and noxious weeds on tens of thousands of acres of agricultural leases managed by Boulder County Parks and Open Space.
"If we have animals that will work for food, we can just send them out and do the job for us," Volt said.
So far the cows have learned to eat knapweed and Dalmatian toadflax.
The weed-eating training for cows is funded with $9,000 in small grant money from Boulder County Parks and Open Space.
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