Plants Poisonous to Goats: Part One
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In this multi-part series, we’ll take an in-depth look at plants poisonous to goats. But there are ways to help prevent goats from eating things they shouldn’t in the first place. Then, each new part in the series will go over the different plants that can pose a danger to our herds so we know what to look for.
Despite their reputation for eating everything, goats are actually picky eaters, so if a plant is bitter or has an otherwise offensive taste, they’ll move on to something better rather than eating it.
Avoiding Plant Poisoning in Your Goats
There are several ways to avoid plant poisoning in your goats:
- Ensure that they always have adequate hay and feed. This will prevent them from eating plants they might otherwise avoid.
- New goat owners should walk their pasture to identify toxic weeds and remove them before introducing the goats.
- If the goats are used for brush clearing in areas they aren’t used to, poison plants may lurk undiscovered.
- For a large infestation of a plant like hemlock, you may have to resort to the use of chemical means of control.
- Check any hay you purchase to ensure it’s free of toxic plants.
- Don’t overstock your pasture. Goats in an overgrazed pasture or one with an excess of animals browsing are more likely to eat plants they would be inclined to avoid, or eat more of a plant than they might otherwise.
Goats appear to be less susceptible to poisonous plants than other animals. While some have speculated their digestive system evolved to detoxify plants that would poison other livestock, it’s more likely because they are browsers, so they eat small amounts of many plants rather than a lot of one.
Despite my fears of having rhododendrons on my property, the one time I saw a goat eating them, she took a small bite and moved on to better pickings.
Two other situations can lead to plant poisoning in a goat: escape, with access to a garden or ornamental plants, and neighbors or even family (often unwittingly) cutting and giving goats plants that can be toxic. I’ve heard of more than one case where a neighbor trimmed ornamentals or brassicas and thought they were doing a nice thing by throwing the clippings over the fence to goats. Educate anyone who has access to your goats or their pasture on what goats can and can’t safely eat.
Treating Plant Poisoning in Goats
Often, the first sign that goats have been poisoned is finding one dead. Puget Sound Goat Rescue recommends that if you think your goat has been poisoned by a plant or you see the goat eat a poisonous plant, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. You may be able to get the goat tested and treated before serious symptoms start to show up. In addition, your vet may have an idea of what plant poisoned your goat because of experience with other goats in the area.
Treating plant poisoning in goats usually consists of providing supportive care, administering activated charcoal or Toxiban, rehydrating, and monitoring vital signs.
In upcoming issues, Goat Journal will cover different types of poisonous plants, the toxin(s) associated with them, and their effects on goats.
CHERYL K. SMITH has raised mini dairy goats in the Coast Range of Oregon since 1998. She owns Karmadillo Press and is the author of Raising Goats for Dummies, Goat Health Care, Goat Midwifery, and Shed Boy, the first in a series of cozy mysteries set on a goat farm. www.GoatHealthCare.com
Sources:
- Bates, N. 2022. “Plant poisoning in goats.” UK-Vet Livestock 20(4). UKVetLivestock.com/Content/Clinical/Plant-Poisoning-in-Goats/
- Poison Plants. PugetSoundGoatRescue.org/Poisonous-Plants
- Smith, Mary C, and David M Sherman. 2009. Goat Medicine, 2nd ed. Ames, Iowa: Wiley-Blackwell.
- Wilson, Peter. 2020. “Toxic Plants for Goats.” Packgoats.com. PackGoats.com/Toxic-Plants-for-Goats/
Originally published in the March/April digital issue of Goat Journal
