Too many veggies?

[Ashlee]

I am new to raising goats so I still have a lot to learn. I have access to a lot of produce, pretty much an endless supply of every vegetable and fruit you could think of. I'm just wondering if I can over feed them, or if they will only eat until they are full. They have hay free choice and get their grain once a day.

 

[animalmom]

That's a good question. What I've noticed with the goaties is if you introduce something new slowly they will eat it. For instance back in January we started eating mandarin oranges, lots of them, yum, and I figured why waste the easy zip peel so I cut it up in very small pieces and included it with the girls' breakfast. First couple days I found they didn't eat it but then by day three it was pretty much gone. Go slow.

Now that doesn't address the question of will the goats gorge themselves on tasty tidbits.... let me see, goats, tasty, gorge. Yep that's pretty much a sure bet now isn't it... at least with my girls. If they like it they will eat it until it is gone and deal with the overstuftness later. Maybe just keep out a bit of baking soda for them.

I know with chickens that there is some vegetables, like raw potatoes, they should not have.

Does anyone have a list of fruit/vegetable no-no's for goats?

 

[Latestarter]

Greetings and welcome to BYH! Glad you joined us. Perhaps you'd consider taking a moment and doing a brief introduction over in the new member area so we can all welcome you properly? Congrats on your new goat(s). Hope you'll share some pics of them also when you get a chance. We're a bunch of picture addicts around here With access to all that free produce, I'd be seriously considering raising a pig or two... All that free food for them would really lower the animal grocery bill and the resulting meat would/should be pretty fabulous and healthy to boot. We have a really great group of active goat folks here. Take some time and browse around in the threads and you'll get to "meet" many of them. Of course there's a wealth of information and knowledge shared there as well. Make yourself at home and by all means post questions that you have... Normally someone will be along to help pretty quickly.

 

[Baymule]

I agree with Latestarter, I'd get a couple of pigs! I am sure that you could give veggies as treats or as partial rations, but not a complete diet.

 

[babsbag]

My goats love green beans, pumpkins, cucumbers, and watermelon but they never get enough at one time to be a problem. I would certainly go slow until you see how they do on it. I know that I would certainly get a stomach ache if I ate too much fruit at one time.

A pig on the other hand...they would do great.

 

[Ashlee]

Thanks for the tip about baking soda, I'll be putting some out for them today. I love that you guys have suggested pigs because I have been trying to convince my hubby that we should get a couple. I will definitely be showing him this thread now!

 

[animalmom]

Being an animal enabler is just one more service we proudly supply. You are most certainly welcome!

 

[Baymule]

So true!