Friendly Goats Are Saving Crops and Surprising Everyone
Residents of the Iori Agricultural Production Association in Otari Village, Nagano Prefecture in Japan, started raising goats as a monkey countermeasure and have achieved results. Instead of building more fences or using expensive technology, they tried something different—letting goats roam near the fields.
Since 2018, crop damage from monkeys has been zero. That’s huge, because before, the monkeys were smart enough to get around almost any fence, even knocking them down to sneak into farms.
The group set up areas between the forest and farmland, using simple electric fences with three lines and releasing three goats inside. Normally, farmers would need seven lines to keep monkeys away, which costs too much time and money. But goats turned out to be the perfect solution.
Aoki Tsuyoshi, the group’s vice head, said, “I was worried about the effect, but once we started, monkeys stopped approaching the fields.” The goats not only made the area clear by eating tall weeds, but they also scared off other animals like wild boars and deer.
Across other farms too, results have been shocking. “In some places, the damage amount of 100 million yen dropped to zero.” That’s like turning a disaster into a victory overnight. And what’s amazing is that the effect didn’t wear off—even after years, the monkeys stayed away.
Why? Goats aren’t aggressive like watchdogs, but they are super curious. “They stare or glare at anything that comes close, and maybe that’s unpleasant for wild animals.” Just like scarecrows or even eyes painted on balloons, the steady gaze of goats makes clever monkeys uneasy. Add to that the fact that goats clear weeds, making it harder for animals to sneak up, and you’ve got double protection.
The fields where goats roam measure 48 ares (about 51,667 square feet, or 1.2 acres), split into two sections for males and females. Farmers also take care of the goats with shade in summer, treats like mulberry leaves, and straw bedding in winter.
Other animals like sheep, geese, piglets, and ostriches were tested too, but only goats gave zero monkey damage. Dogs trained as “monkey dogs” also worked, but goats were faster and easier to manage. That’s why more and more farmers are choosing goats.
To me, goats are true game changers. Instead of using more fences, stronger machines, or chemicals, farmers found a natural and friendly helper that also eats weeds. It shows how sometimes the smartest solution isn’t the most complicated one. Goats prove that teamwork between people and animals can make farming better for everyone.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/pSTpe8x3cLU?si=nOFHfUlhtOzI3BZs
- https://www.agrinews.co.jp/news/index/97383
- https://vivaraku.com/monkeys-natural-enemy-is-goat/
- https://www.fnn.jp/articles/-/413941
- https://app.pictory.ai/
- https://chatgpt.com/
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