False Alarm :)

[Eliya Sage]

OK SO WHEN WE FIRST GOT OUT HOUSE 8 YEARS AGO, THE SELLER WAS LIKE, YEAH THE POKEBERRY GROWS STRONG HERE, JUST GET SOME GOATS AND CLEAR IT UP. AGAIN, NEIGHBOR: OH YEAH, IT GROWS BACK THERE WILDLY, JUST GET SOME GOATS. WE LOOKED IT UP: "YEAH MY GOATS LOVE POKEBERRY". WE GOT OUR GOATS, GAVE THEM SOME, WENT TO LOOK UP IF IT WAS OK TO GIVE THEM THE ROOTS AS WELL AS THE LEAFS, EVERYWHERE: POISONOUS POKEBERRY. POISONOUS PLANTS NOT TO GIVE TO YOUR GOATS, EVERYWHERE. THEY EAT SOME OCCASIONALLY, BUT THIS MORNING I GAVE THEM A BIG PILE OF IT, THEN 2 MINUTES AGO I GAVE THEM A BUNCH AGAIN, LOOKED UP ABOUT THE ROOTS,, , EVERYWHERE, POISONOUS,I RACED OUTSIDE AND TOOK IT OUT, IM GIVING THEM SOME APPLES NOW, BUT IM FREAKING LOOsING MY MIND, I COULDN'T LIVE WITH MYSELF IF I POISONED THEM!!!!!!!!

---Got help. will reply with an update in a few days. They're doing fine now ---

 

[Simpleterrier]

My horse eats them like candy and she's alive how's your goats look

 

[Eliya Sage]

My horse eats them like candy and she's alive how's your goats look

They are doing fine, i'm just super worried it just hasn't kicked in yet..

 

[Eliya Sage]

Do you know what the affects might be??????

 

[Eliya Sage]

Like, Diarrhea??????????










or worse?...

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

@Southern by choice @Goat Whisperer @babsbag @Latestarter @OneFineAcre
Tagging some people that may have answers to your questions, among others.
Do you have a vet or goat mentor you can call if needed?
Hope and pray they're all okay

 

[Latestarter]

I have no practical experience either way. From what I gather some goats/ruminants may be more or less susceptible to poisoning from it. Nearest I can gather is that it is a stomach irritant and as such, the animals "should" stop eating it as soon as they begin to feel affects. If there are going to be affects, they should happen fairly rapidly. like a matter of hours. My guess would be that your goats should be just fine... But I hope you'll update us later on down the road.

http://rangeplants.tamu.edu/plant/pokeberry-pokeweed/

The key sentence: "Consumption of the leaves usually produces only a transient gastrointestinal disease in ruminants. Cattle often consume small amounts of mature leaves with no ill effects." Emphasis added by me.

ETA http://extension.psu.edu/prepare/emergencyready/drought/dairylivestock/pokeweed

"Pokeweed poisoning in livestock is rare because the animals generally do not eat enough of the leaves and berries to show toxic effects because these parts of the plant have a bitter taste and burns the tongue." Animals are pretty smart most of the time.

 

[Green Acres Farm]

I am not sure as to whether it is poisonous or not, but you could call your vet and ask about it and get some activated charcoal if he is concerned.

Activated charcoal is an antidote for poisoning.

I hope they are okay!

 

[Eliya Sage]

Thank you for all your help and support!!!
It has been much longer than a few hours since they first had it, and i think they're gonna be fine.
I ended up finding a few sites with a bunch of people saying "The only time i've ever had problems with the plant is during the fall, other seasons, my goats love it and consume it like candy, been like that for years, never had any problems besides an occasional upset tummy!"

My mom said most of the sites She saw where saying stuff like, When they go into the forest without supervision, they come back with the berry stuff on their mouth, and they get sick!, but as my mom so cleverly mention, if they where unsupervised, how did the owners know that was what they ate that upset their stomach and caused diarrhea? maybe they ate something bad, disliked it and moved onto the pokeberry?

Either way, i'm not giving it to them anymore. If they go into the woods and take a few leafs and move onto something else, i shouldn't worry.
If i see Any signs something might be wrong, i'm calling the vet. And yes, We do have a few local vets we can call if something goes wrong.
Thanks Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't express how appreciative i am of ya'll!!!
-In a few days i'll update their statues, but i'm positive everything's gonna work out fine

 

[CntryBoy777]

If it is what we call poke salad here, then ya shouldn't worry too much about it. The goats know when to eat and not eat it....it is only in certain stages that it has effects. Ours love to rub and strip the skin off the stalk and eat it....making their horns a magenta color. Mine are pygmy and pygmy/boer crosses....and one is 10yrs old.....so, don't concern yourself so much.....