Got yer goat?

Photo: Flickr - Enrique Lara

They're lean, mean, eating machines.

Calgary has introduced 106 goats to a city park in an experimental effort to wipe out noxious weeds — most notably the Canada thistle.

Three goatherders will monitor the herd 24 hours a day over the next three weeks as Calgary looks for a more environmentally friendly way to control weeds.

Chief goatherder Jeannette Hall says the bottomless pits are an ideal solution because the seeds do not survive the goat's digestive tract.

Chris Manderson, the urban conservation lead for Calgary Parks, says the goats are a good alternative to herbicides and cost considerably less.

Once the test period is over, the city will decide whether to expand the program to other parks in the future.