# Do goats eat pine trees?



## GBov

Am working to clear an area at our 4H grounds and it has quite a few pine trees in it.  Having been told that goats eat tree bark and so kill the trees I got to wondering...........

Do goats eat pines?

Will I have to put chicken wire around the trunks of the trees I want to live or will they just leave them alone due to tasting nasty?

Oh, and as I was driving back from school this afternoon I saw a man in his goat pasture PAINTING something onto a large oak tree.  As the goats havnt damaged the tree I am guessing its a goat deterrent.

Any ideas on what it was?

Sorry to load y'all up with the questions but as soon as the fencing is done the goats are going to be arriving so am getting a head start on problem solving


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## 20kidsonhill

They will eat up as high as they can reach and work their way to the bark, and then eventually the trees will die out.   If you don't want to loose the trees you will have to put chicken wire around them and then they will try to reach over that to get to the tree.


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## elevan

Yep! My goats love pine.  Though they tend to eat the needles and smallest branches and leave the trunk alone...

You'll definitely need to protect any pines that you don't want to lose.


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## jason_mazzy

pine is high in vit c. the goats love it!


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## nmred

Also a natural wormer!  

You should see the small pine we have in the middle of our goat yard. Poor, pathetic thing.  It is missing all it's branches up about 6 feet (as high as they can reach like 20kids said) and then it is all green and pretty.  Looks like a strange christmas tree mounted on top a pole.  So far they haven't started on the bark so it is still alive.  Hope it stays that way.


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## GBov

So any ideas what the man was painting onto his tree?


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## elevan

GBov said:
			
		

> So any ideas what the man was painting onto his tree?


No idea.


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## jason_mazzy

I would think a tree pruning bark paint. a type of bitter tar could be it.


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## GBov

Does pine make goats milk taste pine-y?


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## terrilhb

Mine love pine trees. They really love my dogwood trees. They eat the bark from them before the pines. Silly goats.  Good luck


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## DouglasPeeps

GBov said:
			
		

> Does pine make goats milk taste pine-y?


I have not noticed any change in the taste of the milk at all.


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## Goatherd

Here's your proof.


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