| Author | Message | ||
     Theresa Chandler New member Username: tchandler6 Post Number: 8 Registered: 08-2005 Rating: N/A |
Hello, I have been trying to find out if acorns are poisonous to goats. I have found articles on the internet, and in books, but they all have different opinions as to whether they are or not. I have a huge oak tree in one of my pasture lots where my boer herd lounge; and there are tons of acorns on the ground. I had a couple of unexplained deaths of young doelings a couple months back and am still trying to eliminate any possible culprits. I have my herd of 16 boer nannies in another lot right now, and am leary of putting them back into that lot until I find out for sure about the safety of the acorns. Does anyone know if acorns are poisonous to goats or not. Thanks for any help. | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 108 Registered: 07-2005 Rating: N/A |
Well if the deaths were a few months ago then acorns were not the problem, there were no fresh acorns at the time. Goats only seem to like the acorns freshly fallen. Goats don't seem to have the problems with eating acorns that other livestock such as cattle and horses do. Many of my goats love acorns and eat lots of them with no problems. Some goats when suddenly exposed to lots of acorns will gorge on them and as with anything eaten in too great a quantity it will cause problems, mostly due to a physical blockage than the toxicity of the acorns themselves. I have tons of oak trees (and hence acorns) in my pasture my goats eat both the leaves and the acorns with no problems. Either of these would tend to flavor the meat though for at least a litle while....FYI acorns are a major food source for both wild deer and pigs. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Theresa Chandler New member Username: tchandler6 Post Number: 9 Registered: 08-2005 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Maggie, It was the middle of September when I lost the doelings. I had not seen them eat any acorns, but I wanted to know whether or not they could have been the problem. It sounds like from your experience with yours eating them, that they are not a problem. |