# Do your goats eat English Ivy?



## Genipher (Jul 12, 2018)

So I thought I had "regular" ivy but @Baymule set me straight. Now I'm wondering if this ivy will be a problem for my future goats. I've read/heard conflicting information on whether this plant is poisonous or not.

I'm praying for "not"...does anyone here have experience with goats and English Ivy? I've got a LOT of it!!


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## greybeard (Jul 12, 2018)

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/goats-and-english-ivy.15125/

It is toxic to some animals including cattle but even cattle would have to eat a lot of it..probably to the exception of anything else to become affected.



> Poison Part:
> All parts
> Poison Delivery Mode:
> Ingestion, dermatitis throughout the year
> ...


https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/hedera-helix/
YRMV


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## Baymule (Jul 12, 2018)

As opposed as I am to the use of chemicals, it might be time to break out the Round up.


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## greybeard (Jul 12, 2018)

Baymule said:


> As opposed as I am to the use of chemicals, it might be time to break out the Round up.


 Notice the slick shiny sheen on the leaves? This means the leaves will repel most water based herbicides. Use a product with an oil base (crop or vegetable oil) tho I generally use diesel. The oil acts as a penetrant and carries the active ingredient of the herbicide into the leaves.  
Many herbicides are water soluble but not oil soluble and viceversa.
My go to for english ivy and greenbrier (same type shiny leaf) is triclophyr..active ingredient in Remedy and most of Remedy's generics. 

(Roundup is bad about translocation by vapor and it will kill almost all grasses as well as the ivy. Triclopyr only kills broadleaf plants and is not as bad about vaporization. Do be aware tho, that any herbicide that goes to the roots 'can' cross contaminate any other plant whose lateral root system crosses the target plant's roots. Do NOT use Roundup Extend or Roundup Plus..they have 2 ingredients; glycosphate with dicamba and glycosphate with diquat) . The added ingredients are pre-emergents meaning it has soil activity and will prevent anything from sprouting up in that area for up to one year..including desirable grasses and forbs. 

'IF' I were going to use a Roundup product on English Ivy, it would be this:
https://www.roundup.com/sites/g/fil..._brush/pdf/Roundup_Poison_Ivy_Concentrate.pdf

18% glyphosate + 2% triclopyr right out of the jug.

(honestly, I'd just make my own mix since I keep Remedy on hand all the time anyway)


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## Baymule (Jul 12, 2018)

I've done more reading on goats and English ivy. Most lean in favor of poison to goats, some say that goats eat it with no problems. It would be my luck that if I had English ivy and let a goat eat it, the goat would throw itself at my feet in convulsions and die while bleating piteously. 

What about chopping all you can, pulling the vines and roots, toss on burn pile or bag up and put out for the trash. Clear all you can, then it some comes up, maybe it wouldn't be enough to hurt your goats. I also read that it can cause dermatitis, which is the code word for itch, misery, clawing at the broken out rash places in your sleep and waking up looking like you had a fight with a bobcat. So maybe wear a long sleeve shirt and gloves.


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## Genipher (Jul 12, 2018)

Thanks, everyone. I think I'll try your idea, @Baymule , and pull up as much as I can. Maybe ask the husband to weedhack it. 

On the flip side, we have plenty of other tasty stuff growing for the goats...lotsa blackberries and Willowherb. Hopefully I can get rid of most of the ivy and the future goats will be more enamored with the non-lethal forage...!


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