# Will goats avoid poisonous plants?



## Banriona (Nov 26, 2013)

I plan to get a Nigerian dwarf or two in the spring.  Mostly they'll be in a grass lot immediately surrounding their house.  I will be letting them graze in the wooded areas for a few hours each day in a portable pen I'll be moving around each day.  I have neither the know-how or the ability to identify each plant that they may come in contact with out there during these forays.  I know we have a lot of hickory, cedar, willow oaks, and a few other varieties of oaks and some pine trees.  Other than the chokecherries I think I need to remove before putting the goats out there should I be overly concerned?  With them getting a new patch to nibble each day they'll have loads of variety, and they will by no means be dependent on their forage for their sole nutritional needs.

Doesn't help that so many lists of poisonous plants for goats conflict each other.  

I can post pics of samples of the areas if it would help.


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## elevan (Nov 26, 2013)

Unfortunately goats do not avoid things that are bad for them.   

I would suggest contacting your county extension agent and have them do a walk through of your property and help you identify the plants that you have growing there.

As to poisonous plant lists I like the Cornell University list.  There's a link to it in this article on plant poisoning.


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## alsea1 (Nov 26, 2013)

I think that goats learn from their dams what to eat and what to not eat. 
Some will eat bad stuff and get sick. Some will avoid stuff. You never know.
Goats are like kids it seems. Always up to something and into stuff.
LOL


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## Southern by choice (Nov 26, 2013)

Our kikos tend to stay away from stuff they shouldn't eat... the nigies well they never get the chance... they are rotated through the same areas... the kikos are moved over heavy woodland and there is no way we could check everything. 

You can schedule with your county extension agent and they will come out and point out plants that will be toxic. Although you will probably want to wait til spring. 
Dr. Cannedy (the one O.F.A. told you about)will also do a complete overview... 
*Ext services are free though and NC has a great co-op!*


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## OneFineAcre (Nov 27, 2013)

None of the things you mentioned are an issue. There are not really anything I'm aware of in a typical NC woodlot that would cause a problem other than certain types of ferns.  What are chokecherries?

Oh, and when are you going to add your pithy comment to your signature?


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## ThornyRidgeII (Dec 18, 2013)

The other thing to keep in mind is that if your goats are healthy and well fed, then they may actually nibble something here and there that may be considered bad but it shouldn't hurt them.  Now if they are unhealthy and underfed then they stand a chance of gorging more on bad stuff!  I have had goats for over 12 years and they have at some point eaten numerous plants that are considered toxic-- i.e. wild cherry leaves, yew bush, may apples, etc.  Had a baby puke after nibbling some yew but all ended well and never had issues with toxic plant poisoning!  I would learn the plants in your area and try to take precautions however!


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## Kitsara (Dec 18, 2013)

Their nibbling here and there tends to help. Most times they don't always get enough to cause a problem. And if the herd queen tries something bad and doesn't like, then usually the others start to avoid it as well. Usually, there's always the oddball.


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## kittie_kat (Dec 18, 2013)

My friend told me that his goat used to eat almost anything. But the goat got sick one time because he sort of ate something poisonous. Good thing, the goat just got a small bite of the leaf. When he got well, he won't even go near that plant anymore.


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## Sweetened (Jan 4, 2014)

When my goats broke into my garden, they destroyed my potato and tomato plants.  Initially I thought: oh great, dead goats!  I wouldn't feed it to them regularly, but they didn't so much as get scours from it.  Some nightshades are listed as safe for goats on some lists, and not for others, same as garlic and onions.  They ate wormwood throughout the year as it grows like mad here, so much so some plants have become roundup resistant in our area (which bothers me absolutely none!).  I think some animals are smarter than we give them credit for, but others, not so much.  I would say it depends on the goat.


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## elevan (Jan 6, 2014)

Sweetened said:


> I would say it depends on the goat.


Yep


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## taylorm17 (Jan 10, 2014)

I agree with eleven. Goats normally don't know what is bad for them. My goats LOVE all the ornamental plants on our porch and we really have to watch them when we have them near the porch. I also have Nigerians too and love them!!!!!! Actually I just made a post today, my youngest goat just ate a rubber band bracelet?!?!?!?! I always recommend this website. Fiasco Farms!!!! google them. They have great information and have some recipes for antidotes to some major poisonous plants! I have found all of their information reliable and completely true!!! I hope this helps. And also do get someone who knows a lot of plant species to search your area. My mom has a major in horticulture so we didn't have to get someone. Also there pasture is mostly basic grass plants. Also fiasco farm has a list of edible and non edible things for all goats!


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## Scooby308 (Mar 6, 2014)

elevan said:


> Unfortunately goats do not avoid things that are bad for them.
> 
> I would suggest contacting your county extension agent and have them do a walk through of your property and help you identify the plants that you have growing there.
> 
> As to poisonous plant lists I like the Cornell University list.  There's a link to it in this article on plant poisoning.


Reading the Cornell report it says clover can be an issue. Is that the case?


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## elevan (Mar 6, 2014)

Generally it's wilted clover in large quantities that can be an issue.  In general clover is fine.


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## Scooby308 (Mar 6, 2014)

elevan said:


> Generally it's wilted clover in large quantities that can be an issue.  In general clover is fine.


So a hay mix of alfalfa, Timothy, and red clover would be fine?


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## elevan (Mar 7, 2014)

Scooby308 said:


> So a hay mix of alfalfa, Timothy, and red clover would be fine?


Yes, because the clover has already be cured or dried.


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## Scooby308 (Mar 7, 2014)

K


elevan said:


> Yes, because the clover has already be cured or dried.


K. That's what I thought but just had me wondering. Thx


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## cindyg (Mar 7, 2014)

Last year two of my does got out and ate azalea from the garden.  They were so sick I thought they were going to die.  Have you ever seen a goat vomit?  It is not nice.  Took a few weeks for them to get back to normal.  Azalea is gone now.  So, they don't always know what is not good for them.  As for chokecherry, they can eat it with no problem if fresh, as in off the tree, but wilted it is poisonous.


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## GrimshelsGrazingGoats (May 4, 2014)

elevan said:


> Yes, because the clover has already be cured or dried.


What about pine straw. I have several pine trees near my fences.


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## elevan (May 4, 2014)

GrimshelsGrazingGoats said:


> What about pine straw. I have several pine trees near my fences.


Pine straw is edible.  It can also be used as bedding.


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## goatboy1973 (May 5, 2014)

Experienced goats who get pasture, woodland, and overgrown areas as their primary source of foodstuffs pretty much know what's good and bad. It is the goats that go from show animals that have a majority of their diet from a feed sack to browse as a majority of their diet that know not what is poison. Typically the alkaloid and acidic plants that are poison are bitter tasting and goats will nibble on it and because of the bad taste will not eat a significant amount or not eat it again. I have seen some of our momma goats who are raised on forage take their month old kids with them grazing and the babies will eat from the same plant or eat from the same 3 ft. patch of pasture and learn from mimicking momma and what she eats and where she eats. So YES, some goats know what is poison and what's good to eat. We bought some goats from Eldorado, TX and turned them loose on a piece of overgrown woodland/ pasture on our farm in TN and had not one of those goats have any problem with poisonous plants.


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