# Can goats eat Dog Fenel?



## PurpleSully5 (Jul 4, 2017)

There seems to be a LOT of dog fennel where my goats graze/forage and I'm worried it could make them sick. Can someone one tell me if dog fennel is bad for goats or okay for them to eat.


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## Sasmith (Oct 14, 2017)

Not sure if it will make them sick ours seems to eat right around it but there's only a couple small goats with several acres of grass/forage to choice from. I will say if you have a lot now you'll have even more later that stuff spreads like fire


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## Latestarter (Oct 14, 2017)

http://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/goatlist.html


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## greybeard (Oct 14, 2017)

Only reference I've ever seen saying dog fennel was toxic was referring to some fowl species and it was a rare occurrence even for them. 
I've never seen anything even try to eat it tho.


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 14, 2017)

Our goats don't eat it. I wouldn't be too concerned about it, goats will generally stay away from plants that are harmful to them....they smell and nibble at anything strange, but will pass up most things that don't please the palet.


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## Bayleaf Meadows (Oct 14, 2017)

My goats eat dogfennel.  But maybe they shouldn't.  I found this- "Dogfennel spreads by both seeds and rootstocks and can grow quite aggressively. It is common in pastures, especially those that are unimproved or overgrazed,[5] and degrades the quality of the pasture by competing with desired forage species.[11] Dogfennel contains liver-damaging pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so livestock are known to eat all the turf around a stand of it. To remove infestations of dogfennel, the recommended course of action is to mow it and apply herbicides.[11]"


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## Bayleaf Meadows (Oct 14, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> http://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/goatlist.html


The list doesn't include dog fennel, but it isn't a complete list.


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## Latestarter (Oct 15, 2017)

The list is for known bad/toxic/dangerous plants, so if the plant isn't, it wouldn't be listed. 

Is any list ever complete? Just provided it as a starting point. Everyone needs someplace to start.


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## Sasmith (Oct 15, 2017)

If your pasture isn't to big your best bet my be just start pulling. Or pay your kids to do it that's what we do


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## Sasmith (Oct 15, 2017)

What's a "golden herd member"


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## Latestarter (Oct 15, 2017)

It's a paid/gifted/earned/ membership that allows a few benefits not available to general members.  https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/announcing-golden-herd-memberships.13733/#post-185543


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