Posted by GoatWorld on September 15, 2002 at 19:08:33:
In Reply to: Re: Plants That Goats Won't Eat posted by maryg on September 15, 2002 at 18:42:52:
Hi Mary,
Good question! I'd have to dig it up from the archives or in some article, but I remember finding some conclusive evidence that while Pine Trees i.e., Christmas trees are not an immediate threat as a poisonous plant, they have been linked to abortions in does. How this all plays out is that somewhere after Christmas time, people will discard their trees into goat pens (some even go out in search of more discarded trees) and let the goats feast. The goats will readily eat them. Then, months later, these same does will suddenly abort for no apparent reason. The link is the pine they ate back in December or January! Granted, not all Christmas trees are pine - some can be Douglas Fir as well. Most references to pine are found in the "Ponderosa Pine" family, but no matter the variety, they all contain the resin and it is considered that this resin is the problem. I'll browse around and see what I can dig up on pine as far as the actual toxic principle.
Best regards,
Gary