Goat grazing has been in the news enough that people have picked up a lot of ideas about it. Some are right, some are half right, and a few are just wrong. Here are the ten we hear most.

1. "Goats will eat anything."

False. Goats are selective browsers. They prefer brush, vines and broadleaf weeds. They do not eat tin cans, and they leave some plants alone. Some common plants are poisonous to them. See the list.

2. "Goats make a property fireproof."

False. Nothing does. Grazing reduces fuel and breaks up its continuity, which can slow a fire. It does not stop embers, and it does not replace home hardening. See what the research says.

3. "One visit does the whole job."

Rarely true. Weeds come back from seeds and roots. Most projects need a follow-up. See the seed bank problem.

4. "They will pull everything out, roots and all."

False. Goats eat the top growth. That is a feature on slopes, where roots hold the soil. But for plants that regrow from the root, repeated grazing is what weakens them.

5. "Goats can clear any property."

False. A herd works well on large, brushy or steep ground. It is a poor tool for a small lot or a tidy lawn. Our minimum is about ten acres.

6. "Goats are cheaper than everything else."

It depends. On difficult ground they are often competitive. On flat, open ground, a tractor is often cheaper. See goats vs. mastication and goats vs. hand crews.

7. "They smell terrible."

Mostly false. A herd on open ground smells like a farm, and only if you are close. Adult males in breeding season are the strong ones. Working herds on a project are not typically a smell problem.

8. "Goats escape all the time."

Not with the right fence. Goats are good at testing fences. Professional operators use temporary electric netting kept at proper voltage, and a herder checks it. Most escapes come from poor fence, not clever goats. See Mike Canaday on goat fencing.

9. "Goats get sick from poison oak and poison ivy."

Not typically. Goats can browse them without trouble. People who touch the animals afterward can still pick up the oil, though. See why goats can eat poison oak.

10. "It is a gimmick."

No. Targeted grazing is a recognized land-management practice. Universities study it, federal agencies use it and fire departments hire it. It is also not magic, and it works best when you pick the right sites. See prescribed grazing as a federal practice.

The honest summary

Goats are a good tool for the right job. The reason we keep correcting these myths is that an overstated promise hurts everyone. If a provider says things that sound too good, ask how they know.

Ten Goat Grazing Myths, and What Is Actually True