# How poisonous is azalea?



## jason_mazzy (Feb 2, 2011)

I am trying to refence my yard to allow the goats and possibly zebu more room for grazing and browsing. I have some very large and established azalea's that I plan to fence around. But it will always be possible that shoots will grow through the fence.

 So any idea how much is lethal?

I have also heard they will instictively stay away from it, though I really don't want to risk my goats or cows to instinct.


any suggestions or answers?


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## Roll farms (Feb 2, 2011)

http://www.sweetlix.com/media/documents/articles/Goat_BewareAzaleas.pdf



> It is important to remember that "dose makes the poison". The amount eaten is critical.
> In the case of Azaleas, when an animal eats about 0.2% of its bodyweight in leaves, toxic
> symptoms are observed. For a 100-lb goat this translates to only 0.2 lbs or 3.2 oz. of
> Azalea leaves. For a 30-lb kid this amount is as little as 0.06 lbs or a little less than one
> ounce.


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## lilhill (Feb 2, 2011)

Azaleas are very poisonous.


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## aggieterpkatie (Feb 2, 2011)

I wouldn't risk it.  "They" say that animals know not to eat poisonous stuff, but our very first lambs we ever owned ate mountain laurel when there was a whole yard full of grass.    I definitely would not risk it.


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## freemotion (Feb 2, 2011)

I lost one of my first goats to suspected wild azalea poisoning, and my favorite doeling threw up all night this past summer and I suspect the same, although I patrol my pasture often, it creeps in from the woods.  Worry about it.  It is bad stuff for critters.


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## jason_mazzy (Feb 2, 2011)

Thanx for the link!


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## coso (Feb 2, 2011)

My goats got out once in the yard and ate some of my azeleas about five or six years ago.  I had some very sick goats.  So out came the azeleas.


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## jason_mazzy (Feb 2, 2011)

Yup I am thinking they will have to be pulled. Sad part is they are 60+ years old so very very nice.


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