# Choke Cherry experiences?



## maritown (Apr 9, 2016)

Hey all, was wondering if anyone has experience with choke cherries? Our two goat pastures are surrounded by them.  This has never been an issue as we keep them cut back in the fall so goats are never exposed to wilting leaves.  My does will grab a few fresh leaves in passing but never stick to a tree and my boys are not old enough to reach yet.
However, today I noticed that a handful of trees that have been completely dead looking since we moved here in November are now covered in leaves and they are IN the boys pasture.  At least 6 more small trees in the pasture still look dead but now I have a feeling they are just waiting for warmer weather.  So essentially the pasture is filled with choke cherry and the boys were chowing down on it.  
I've heard people say only the wilted leaves are a danger and some say fresh leaves are deadly in abundance as well.  But how much is abundance?  Both boys are under a year old Nigis (one is only 6 wks) so I don't really trust their threshhold for 'abundance'...
They have hay at all times but generally prefer grazing/browsing.
Does anyone have experience with choke cherry at all?  Should I be freaking out?


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## maritown (Apr 9, 2016)

I spoke too soon 
Upon closer inspection (I realized...why would they only now be blooming?) the trees themselves do not have leaves, but rather are covered in vines! So unless there is a bad vine I don't know about...I think we're in the clear again 
I'll leave this thread in case anyone has input on chokecherries anyway


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## Latestarter (Apr 9, 2016)

Some source material for your reading pleasure:

Regarding chokecherry:
http://www.goatworld.com/health/plants/cherry.shtml http://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/php/plants.php?action=faqs&num=338

Poisonous plants in general:http://www.goatworld.com/health/plants/cherry.shtml
http://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/goatlist.html


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## maritown (Apr 9, 2016)

Great resources, thanks!


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## ZooKeeper (Apr 22, 2016)

My 10 week old Nigerian buck ate a bunch of the berries as well as green and brown leaves that had fallen off a tree. He then got bloated quit eating and drinking. My dad is the one that told me what he had eaten and to keep him away. After a couple days of not letting him eat them he was fine. Luckily my dad told me what it was before I let him eat enough to do real damage.


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## maritown (Apr 22, 2016)

ZooKeeper said:


> My 10 week old Nigerian buck ate a bunch of the berries as well as green and brown leaves that had fallen off a tree. He then got bloated quit eating and drinking. My dad is the one that told me what he had eaten and to keep him away. After a couple days of not letting him eat them he was fine. Luckily my dad told me what it was before I let him eat enough to do real damage.


Wow, glad your boy was okay!


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## Latestarter (Apr 22, 2016)

So glad you caught it and put a stop to it in time.


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## Toby Baillon (May 10, 2016)

I live in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands and the goatherds here say avocado (leaves) are very harmful if consumed in quantity.  Anyone have any advice on that as avocado leaves are a favourite food for my goat!


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## frustratedearthmother (May 10, 2016)

Found this for you:

https://fiascofarm.com/goats/poisonousplants.htm


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