Graze Anatomy: Using Aversion Therapy on Sheep
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 07.12.07
We love organics, but grape farmers have to get rid of the weeds somehow. One can do it manually with lots of labour; one can hose them with herbicides. Or, thanks to research by Morgan Doran at the University of California at Davis, One can let sheep loose in the vinyards. Says Morgan: "Sheep are really good at what they do, and what they do is eat."
Unfortunately they also eat the vine leaves and grapes, which is a problem; nothing that a little aversion therapy won't solve. Doran doesn't get all Clockwork Orange, tie them down and make them watch Sideways; he just gorges them on vine leaves and then gives them a dose of lithium chloride; "a mildly unpleasant sensation in the stomach was sending a message that apparently lasts a lifetime." Doran likened the sheep's reaction to humans who take that first puff on a cigarette or down too much tequila and come away with their own personal cautionary tale. And it worked; nine months later the sheep still wouldn't eat the grape leaves. ::Sacramento Bee;, University of California; Punny title stolen from ::Globe and Mail
Wow, that's actually really neat!
that seems cruel to me. some wineries use what are called babydoll sheep, which are miniature sheep too short to reach the vines. they're cute too!
Fabulous! Mild stomach ache once in your life is nothing compared to being able to aid humans in cutting back on toxins - which will cause more than a stomach ache!
Oh so giving the a tummy ache is cruel but teasing them with all that food that's just out of reach isn't. I think it's a really cool idea and maybe it will spawn some new ideas, it reminds me of Uncle Scrouge on Ducktails, "Work smarter not harder"
I think that is really interesting and it seems to be a win-win for everyone, the sheep, the producers, consumers and the environment.
One thing this article doesn't mention is just how careful vineyard owners have to be when using sheep (or goats) to control weeds.
If not properly timed to reduce target weeds, grazing can actually make the weed problem worse! Timing that reduces one weed can even favor another weed! Plus, nitrogen from the sheep's excrement can actually help certain weeds.
It's definitely NOT a treatment that should be applied to natural grasslands surrounding vineyards - without careful consultation at least.