Basically this contraption would be a narrow and yet expandable fenced rectangular enclosure on wheels. It would have a small overhead sun shade sceen and multiple watering troughs. Livestock (sheep, goats, and cattle) would be enclosed in this mobile shelter that would be periodically moved up and down the median strips and shoulders of the highway by ranchers employing tractors who would pay the government a fee for use of the land. The government would then have the twin responsibilities of grass cutting and garbage pick-up taken care of while making use of idle land and increasing tax revenue.

Thus, products produced might include: meat products for human/pet consumption, milk products, wool, composted manure.

Drawbacks might include increased odor and chance of animal/human death due to automobile accidents.
-- Monty6, Jun 15 2004

Green Vegetation Control http://www.onlineat...new_397861519.shtml
Agricultural officials trying targeted grazing to get rid of pervasive plants using goats [Monty6, Feb 24 2009]

Quite widely done by the travelling fraternity on the verges around here, though without the corrall but with a thethered horse (for extra authenticity, the horse must look shightly tatty).
-- oneoffdave, Jun 16 2004


Kinda like the guinea pig in its run in my back garden? Go for it, but I rather doubt people will pay for the privilege. [+] if you remove the fees.
-- david_scothern, Jun 16 2004


I think it'd be a good idea...frankly, there would be no need for fees.

Highway employees are expensive, mowing tractors are expensive, and those orange barrels and signs to announce the presence of a mowing tractor are expensive.

With this contraption, those costs are instantly reduced to zero, with a small outlay now for a secretary to file appropriate paperwork.

The only problem with this plan: How to get the cows into the median in the first place?

Croissant anyway for originality.
-- shapu, Jun 16 2004


Come onnnnnnnn-------------eat the can.
-- yabba do yabba dabba, Jun 16 2004


"Bessie! How many times do I have to tell you? Don't throw cans at Ah-mur-cun cars!"
-- shapu, Jun 16 2004


The goats eat the trash. I once saw a goat eat a lit cigarette.
-- Monty6, Jun 16 2004


From the title, I thought this was going to be a contraption for people who like to eat several small meals throughout the day. Some sort of backpack or rolling cart in which one stores and prepares food.
-- tchaikovsky, Jun 17 2004


Bun, but you'll need to solve a few issues.

Goats will eat anything, but it does produce adverse effects. My friend killed her goat by letting it eat a bit of the baling wire that they hay came in. Tears apart their eight stomachs.

I suggest that the mobile grazer should be equipped with some sort of cotton-gin device, to pick out most of the litter before the livestock gets to it.

You'll also need to figure out how to deal with overpasses, interchanges, offramps, and other places where the median ends. Since ranchers currently can use some government land for this purpose, and move their livestock about using trucks, this should not be a major issue.
-- ye_river_xiv, Jul 07 2006


Sorry about your friend's goat, but a sacrificial lamb is a small price to pay to save us all from Global Warming.
-- Monty6, Feb 25 2007



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