The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Penninehillbilly on October 26, 2015, 12:11:25 pm

Title: Goats'n'Beans +
Post by: Penninehillbilly on October 26, 2015, 12:11:25 pm

Hi
tidying the veg garden yesterday, had a good crop of runner beans, taking tops out to prevent any wind damage.
Can I feed the stems to the goats? and the broad beans + pea stems?
also stringy runner bean pods?
thanks
While we are at it. how about beetroot tops?

Title: Re: Goats'n'Beans +
Post by: Anke on October 26, 2015, 02:46:50 pm

Mine don't like the broad bean plants now that they are a bit past it... same for pea plants (but mine by now always have quite a bit of mildew, so are not fed anyway). They should be fine with the fresh runner beans, but I don't grow any so don't know if they like them.

Beetroot leaves in moderation, they have (I think) high levels of salicylic acid, but a few won't hurt.

I am currently feeding all the nasturtium leaves that have self-seeded everywhere (read = invaded) my polytunnel from a couple planted last year to cheer up the flowerless polytunnel...

I am just off the make a start on throwing out the stuff in the polytunnel - need space for hay storage!

Title: Re: Goats'n'Beans +
Post by: Cosmore on October 26, 2015, 02:58:43 pm

Runner bean and pea haulms are relished by goats - at least mine did, they demolished the whole plants when fed them. I used to clear the runner beans when they started to get stringy and the peas when they passed their best, I simply uprooted the complete plants and tossed them into the goats field and they were demolished with great relish! My neighbour was a runner bean fanatic and passed all his haulms to me to give to the goats. Broad beans and their plants are probably ok, but be careful if you have milkers - they may taint the milk. Certainly I once made the mistake of giving my goats brussel sprouts - they loved them but the subsequent milk tasted and smelt of brussel sprouts, Yuk!
Beetroot leaves are ok in a small quantity but have salicylic acid so advise not too many.

Title: Re: Goats'n'Beans +
Post by: Melmarsh on October 28, 2015, 06:46:38 pm

Hi when I had goats, as previously said, my goats loved pea hulm and bean hulms ,never tried them with broad beans so not sure about them ???? Hope your goats love them too , would never feed anything that is not fresh ie moulding or rotting of any sort.

Title: Re: Goats'n'Beans +
Post by: Penninehillbilly on October 30, 2015, 11:53:13 pm

Thanks, it appears my ladies have higher expectations than tough old bean stems :-)