# Will goats clear poison ivy?



## AllieMac (Aug 7, 2009)

Goats are famous for clearing underbrush.  We have a big patch of poison ivy in a lightly wooded area.  I think that if we fence it the goats will eat it and not be harmed.  Does anyone have experience re goats and poison ivy?  Thanks for any help.


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## lilhill (Aug 7, 2009)

Many folks use goats to clear out poison ivy without harmful results.  I've never seen mine even interested in eating it, but then again, they are pretty picky about what they will eat.


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## AllieMac (Aug 7, 2009)

Oh thanks.  I am trying to build interest (in my spouse) in having Nigerian dwarf goats. (I see you have them!)  They sound perfect for me. He does not have any experience with goats and says "Why would we want goats?" :/  My mother and grandmother always had goats, but I have not got any yet. Mother lives in mtns of West Virginia where they dont have poison ivy! (Im in Michigan)  My son has gotten it (PI)  in the face two times and it is not pretty.  Also, they had nubian and boer goats, so it may be different with different breeds? Allie


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## ()relics (Aug 7, 2009)

Goats will do a thorough clean-up on your poison ivy patch....BUT you had better not pet them while they are doing their clean-up work.  Poison ivy plants contain an oil, urushiol oil, that causes a rash when it comes in contact with your skin.....NO OTHER ANIMAL GETS THIS REACTION AND RASH EXCEPT PEOPLE,  look it up....so your goat eats the poison ivy...gets some of the urushiol oil on its fur/feet/horns/whatever....of course is unaffected by it...then along comes you...you pet the goat give it a big hug/kiss/whatever....now you have contacted the oil and will get the rash that is associated with poison ivy....again look it up...Same goes for dogs, cats, again whatever...that comes in contact with the urushiol oil and then you....So if you want the goats to eat poison ivy they will do a great job just stay away from them until they are finished and you have moved them to more friendly pastures.


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## ohiofarmgirl (Aug 7, 2009)

thats why we got our minimanchas! (nigi x lamancha)  they did a great job. the trick is to make sure they only get the bramble to eat or... they will eat something better. we didnt give ours any grain at all so they had to browse - until the winter when they had to be inside more. 

when we got our dairy gals (who needed better hay) we couldnt get the mini's to eat the poison ivy anymore...they were holding out for the hay also

so we put our pigs down there and they are doing a great job of rooting it all out. 

and yes you need to be extra careful about handling them - so if you wanted them to be pets you'll need to invest in long sleeved shirts.. or just not snuggle them. 

but here is another item of note - from what i've been told if your dairy goats eat the ivy, and you drink the milk.. you'll build up a resistance to it!


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## cmjust0 (Aug 7, 2009)

lilhill said:
			
		

> Many folks use goats to clear out poison ivy without harmful results.  I've never seen mine even interested in eating it, but then again, they are pretty picky about what they will eat.


Now that I'm thinking about it, it seems like our dairy goats are much more inclined to seek out browse, while the boer and boer crosses just put their noses to the ground and hoover up the fescue..  

Just out of curiosity, are yours meat or dairy breeds?


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## TxMom (Aug 7, 2009)

I have Boers, and they eat a little of everything...  I see them nose to the ground eating grass and weeds, but they also love tree leaves that they can reach, vines, bushes, etc...  They have definitely nibbled on our poison ivy, but they haven't cleared it because they've nibbled on everything else too...a little here, a little there.  We have too much of a buffet here!  LOL

And yes...I have the poison ivy rash all up my arms from working with them


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## Mini-M Ranch (Aug 7, 2009)

AllieMac said:
			
		

> My mother and grandmother always had goats, but I have not got any yet. Mother lives in mtns of West Virginia where they dont have poison ivy! (Im in Michigan)  My son has gotten it (PI)  in the face two times and it is not pretty.  Also, they had nubian and boer goats, so it may be different with different breeds? Allie


Please tell my daughter, who had to get a steriod injection because of severe itching and swelling, that we don't have poison ivy in the mountains of WV.  I don't think she was aware when she contracted it on her face and hands...  

Anyway, I am hoping that our goats will eat OUR poison ivy and poison oak, too.  Knowing my luck, mine will only want to eat truffles and fresh asparagus shoots.


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## AllieMac (Aug 7, 2009)

<<<Please tell my daughter, who had to get a steriod injection because of severe itching and swelling, that we don't have poison ivy in the mountains of WV.  I don't think she was aware when she contracted it on her face and hands... >>>

Yes, I thought it sounded too good to be true when my mother moved there and said there was no Poison ivy there too.    Apparently in her area there is none.  She thinks it is the altitude (I think they are pretty high up in the mountainous area there).  But she has not seen any and that's what the locals say.  They live up past Friendsville Maryland or towards Bruceton Mills. 

My Spouse says he will just walk through and 'Round Up' the PI patch and it will all go away.


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## backyardduck (Aug 13, 2009)

We had horrible poison ivy,..the goats did a big part of getting rid of it,..the chicks and ducks did even a bigger job on it. The thing is,  I just had to laugh at the post about transfering. I kept getting horrible poison ivy on my arms especially my forearms,..it took me time to realize that the little wether likes to jump up in my arms and yep he was transfering it onto me  Oh and my basset hound,..apparently she had issues with it,..because she had it all over her hind areas.


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## onedozenphyllises (Aug 13, 2009)

I tried to get ours to work on some poison ivy, but they just weren't that interested.  As long as there is Hackberry (which we have in great abundance) they don't want to eat anything else.  Poison ivy?  No thanks.  Sunflowers?  Nah.  Wild blackberries?  Pass.  Apparently if you're a goat, Hackberry trees are the best thing on Earth.  We call them "snackberry".  The only things they like as much as that are the fruit trees and the "used to be a Christmas tree" Douglas Fir planted in our yard.

On one hand, I'm glad we have loads of something they like.  On the other hand, so much for targeted brush clearing.


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