Oak Tree Leaves Poisonous???

[Dreaming Of Goats]

Thank you everyone!!!!!!

 

[RoeDylanda]

I just had the *exact same* thing happen! Reading Storey's guide in preparation for spring/summer goats, just signed a contract with the tree guy to pull out some very tall/very sick trees around where the barn and fence will be... and I read that oaks leaves are toxic to goats. We're surrounded by oak trees! I'd have to hock a kidney to get all of the oaks removed! [Hyperventilation, fretting, wringing of hands, plotting to call up the nice 4H lady down the road and ask for help....]

Then problem solved by BYH.

Thanks!

 

[freemotion]

Red oaks have more tannins in them than the white ones, and are more bitter.

Thank you!!!

You are very welcome!

For those who don't know the difference, the white oaks have smoothly lobed leaves (think of white mittens to remember, works for me ) and the red ones have points or even little sorta thorn-like things on each pointy leaf lobe. Think pointy=ouch, blood=red oaks.

Since they are more bitter, the red oaks are less palatable. That is what I have in my pasture. The acorns tend to be a bit smaller, usually, than the white oaks. I did a lot of research over the past couple of years in preparation for my pig project....acorn-fed pork.

Might as well make a nuisance useful!

 

[babsbag]

How did the acorn fed pig work out? Usually we have tons of acorns and I toss them to the goats like an easter egg hunt. This year we had literally NONE, oh, we had ONE, I forgot. I don't know what the poor squirrels and woodpeckers are living on, but the goats aren't getting their treats this year.

But I am interested in your pig as I intend to get my first one this summer and we usually have a bunch of acorns.

BTW, my goats thrive on oak leaves, brances, bark, all things oak. Especially the poison oak, but don't think that is really in the oak family.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

You're right, poison oak is not in the oak family. There are, however, nearly 60 species of oak native to North America! I also did a good bit of research about it before getting our goats since our entire property is mixed deciduous. We have 3 different species on the property I have been able to identify, and most likely others I haven't. Tannic acid toxicosis is a risk in certain circumstances, but less likely in goats than other species. We haven't had an issues.

 

[horseofcorff]

Any deciduous tree is poisonous if the leaf is RED or turning RED. The RED is a tannin which will slowly kill the liver. It will build up until all of a sudden your goat is looking thin, gets sick easily, and lays around a lot. That is probably the point of no return, if you are practical. If you only have a few and want to spend hours of nursing, the liver does have the ability to eventually regenerate.

The same is true for the sericea lespedeza. Goats will eat it, but when it turns red in the late summer it contains high levels of tannins. (tannins will actually purge a lot of intestinal parasites and Langston University actually did a study to see if you could let goats graze sericea lespedeza as a parasite control method).

The oak and maple are the most dangerous in the spring. The goats have had a long period of dry feed and are desperate for something fresh and they will nibble the buds as soon as they form.

We plant winter rye so that as soon as the weather breaks we have that coming up, which helps to keep their attention off the oak trees.

By the way, I put up pictures of my new Piedmontese bull calf, born Wednesday on Facebook. This forum will not let me tell you the link, but my user name is Deborah Corff. My pictures are public, so you look in the Piedmontese album.


Deborah Corff, Cushing OK

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Red oaks have more tannins in them than the white ones, and are more bitter.

Thank you!!!

You are very welcome!

For those who don't know the difference, the white oaks have smoothly lobed leaves (think of white mittens to remember, works for me ) and the red ones have points or even little sorta thorn-like things on each pointy leaf lobe. Think pointy=ouch, blood=red oaks.

Since they are more bitter, the red oaks are less palatable. That is what I have in my pasture. The acorns tend to be a bit smaller, usually, than the white oaks. I did a lot of research over the past couple of years in preparation for my pig project....acorn-fed pork.

Might as well make a nuisance useful!

We are pondering doing the same thing!!! Love it!! Good luck...Pigs will be a new adventure for us too!!!! Especially after hearing the pork/beef projections cost to go up 30%.... Ugggh...I'll raise my own thanks!!!

 

[freemotion]

Thank you!!!

You are very welcome!

For those who don't know the difference, the white oaks have smoothly lobed leaves (think of white mittens to remember, works for me ) and the red ones have points or even little sorta thorn-like things on each pointy leaf lobe. Think pointy=ouch, blood=red oaks.

Since they are more bitter, the red oaks are less palatable. That is what I have in my pasture. The acorns tend to be a bit smaller, usually, than the white oaks. I did a lot of research over the past couple of years in preparation for my pig project....acorn-fed pork.

Might as well make a nuisance useful!

We are pondering doing the same thing!!! Love it!! Good luck...Pigs will be a new adventure for us too!!!! Especially after hearing the pork/beef projections cost to go up 30%.... Ugggh...I'll raise my own thanks!!!

We are now eating our acorn-fed pork and it is delicious! For more details, I journalled it on sufficientself. Its called "Free's piggie thread" or something like that....it is verrrrry long.....