Guinea Pigs Are This Biodynamic Farmer’s Favourite Weeders, but Keeping Them Safe From Predators Is a Challenge

When John Gargan set out to trial guinea pigs as weed controllers on his farm he had no idea how hard it would be to keep them alive.

After introducing nearly 140 of the critters to his property in far north Queensland last year he has lost almost two-thirds to predators.

He has now established nurseries to bring the numbers back up and pulled the animals out of the paddock while he works on how to protect them.

It is all part of the biodynamic system he says makes vegetation-heavy farming in the tropics possible.

Furry farm hands

With their furry bodies and high-pitched squeaks, Mr Gargan’s weeders might make more sense as pets than farm workers, but since introducing them in 2022 he said the impact was immediate.

“Once you put up a fence you can rotate them around the patches and keep the system working.

“We had grass probably five feet high in amongst the trees and they’ve come in and taken it all out.”