stano40
Overrun with beasties
Can goat kids be affected by eating too many oak leaves (tannin)?
bob
bob
Oak Leaves
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elevan
Critter Addict ♥
The high tannin content may have a positive effect of keeping worm loads down.
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stano40
Overrun with beasties
I thought high amounts of tannin was poisonous to goats? I know they love pine needles and bark.
bob
bob
bloonskiller911
True BYH Addict
I wonder this same question. my goats and sheep love the fallen oak leaves but I had read that they shouldn't have acorns.
california cowgirl
Exploring the pasture
The acorns have the high tannic acid. Very poisonous to cattle and horses. I hear from some old tymers that pig farmers used to gather up acorns to fatten hogs on. That would be along time ago. We had a huge acorn poisoning in our cow herd about 7-8 yrs ago and lost about 50 head and then the deformed calves started to show up. Lost about 100 of them legs were deformed and rubberlike and could not stand or suck. It was a mess. I had many orphans to feed and at least I was able to graft them on cows that lost calves and were not so sick. But check with your vet. I have heard that goats are fine but that was a while ago.
elevan
Critter Addict ♥
There is a lot of back and forth on this. I say do your research, talk to your vet and make an informed decision for your goat herd.
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stano40
Overrun with beasties
Yea, that was helpful.elevan said:
bonbean01
Herd Master
I've been researching this, and our local vet know nothing about goats and sheep. After researching this online, I am finding that oak leaves in small quanties is not harmful to goats and sheep...the tannins can help with worms...but large amounts can be toxic.
Have also been researching Hickory leaves...as we just had large Oak and Hickory trees taken down close to power lines and would like to feed some branches with green leaves to the sheep but were wary. Have not found one bit of information about Hickory leaves.
I have sheep, not goats...but have found that they share much of the same information.
So, if anyone has more information about both oak and hickory leaves, it would be helpful to many of us that do not have the luxury of living in an area with a vet who deals with sheep and goats.
Have also been researching Hickory leaves...as we just had large Oak and Hickory trees taken down close to power lines and would like to feed some branches with green leaves to the sheep but were wary. Have not found one bit of information about Hickory leaves.
I have sheep, not goats...but have found that they share much of the same information.
So, if anyone has more information about both oak and hickory leaves, it would be helpful to many of us that do not have the luxury of living in an area with a vet who deals with sheep and goats.
dhansen
Loving the herd life
My goats eat oak leaves, acorns and a whole lot of walnut leaves and husks ( full of Tannin). They are all thriving. I think it might be a little trickier if they get into that stuff all at once and eat a LOT. My goats are used to it.
bonbean01
Herd Master
I think that I will give oak leaves in small amounts off and on...like the idea of tannins helping with worms, just will be careful not to over do it. Since I've found nothing on Hickory tree leaves, will not give them to my sheep at all. A shame since huge oak and hickory trees were cut down and the sheep would love the branches with leaves, but don't want to take a chance of hurting them.
