[laurelrus]

So I got lots of helpful information about feeding willow to my goats, (and sheep) and they all love it.
Now I'm thinking I'd like to give them more variety to eat, as they I feed them hay and pygmy goat mix but seeing how much they enjoyed the willow I feel they're missing out.
So - what can and can't I give them? We have apple trees, would they like branches from those?
We also have some brambles with blackberries on but they're very thorny so I don't think that would work.
We have an awful lot of weeds, nettles, thistles...!
I don't want to give them the wrong thing, so any tips would be appreciated

[Melmarsh]

Hi, they will love blackberries an d brambles, you may not if you're trying to collect it. Some goats like standing nettles but a lot prefer them cut and wilted for 24hrs or dried for the winter. The BGS do booklets of wild feeds suitable for goats. Try them, have a look on their site . www.allgoats.co.uk

[kelly58]

Our girls love the flowering currant when we cut it back 

[ScotsGirl]

Mine love rose trimmings, hazel, hawthorn, and elderberries. I'm not really sure these are good for them but they go nuts for them. Also pick up the small oak branches and leaves which are falling at moment.

[Anke]

easy on oak leaves due to high tannin levels, no acorns. they love hawthorn - BUT the spikes can lead to really bad abscesses in feet, mouth, cheeks and if fed in shed the branches are difficult to pick up again without gloves. So I don't feed them to mine.

Hazel, any kind of willow, some ash and sycamore (both lead to looser droppings, so only in moderation), willowherb, raspberries branches, any kind of currant, brambles (again gloves needed), some kinds of thistles (cut off not rooted out - soil on root has unwelcome bacteria in it), nettles - wilted or not, see what yours prefer (gloves and long sleeved jumpers essential), mine also love comfrey and horseradish leaves, any kind of cabbage peelings (like the inner stalk of broccoli - always cut outside my kitchen of course ), pony carrots (cut into long sticks), apple/pear slices, bananas (peeled and skin fed separately), I grow a few beds of kale (for both goats and humans), dock leaves (I specialise on huge dock leaves on the edge of my polytunnel)... mmhhh I am sure there are others....

[Lesley Silvester]

And definitely the branches from your apple trees. When mine have got out (not lately thank goodness) the first thing they go for is the apple, plum and pear trees. They will also eat raspberries when they are cut back at the end of the season. Mine also love lime branches and sycamore and especially chestnut. I used to walk the dogs through woodland and always took my secateurs with me to cut back over hanging branches 

[Buttermilk]

If feeding elder only give moderate amounts.  I have found that too much will drastically reduce milk yields.

[laurelrus]

Thanks so much!
We have a huge horse chestnut tree so we can cut some of that. We only have the one tree in our 5 acre field. We have a few apple trees in the garden, and a pear which all need cutting back as they've been neglected for years before we moved here earlier this year. I'll start carrying my secateurs with me wherever I go!
There is no shortage of nettles and I've been stung pretty much every time I try to pick some. I wear gloves but forget the long sleeves!

[Anke]

No horse chestnut leaves, not good for goats as far as I know.

[laurelrus]

Thanks Anke, can they have the branches?

[Anke]

Bark has got a lot of tannin in it too. I wouldn't give them, although the odd one should be ok. Just not regularly.

[bloomer]

i only know from strict instructions to protect one at a goat keepers place but apparently they love elm if you can get it...


when i get goats they will be very happy we have a lot of elm we can cut here!!!

[Lesley Silvester]

I've fed horse chestnut to goats without nasty effects and they loved it. It was only a small amount in with lots of other branches though.


Mine have been eating buddleia today. Four happy