The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: ScotsGirl on February 25, 2013, 02:19:12 pm

Title: Salix willow hedge
Post by: ScotsGirl on February 25, 2013, 02:19:12 pm

Not sure I spelt it right but is this species of willow ok for goats? For some reason I thought I'd heard that one type was poisonous.

Title: Re: Salix willow hedge
Post by: hughesy on February 25, 2013, 02:42:33 pm

Well all our local rabbits have been munching away at ours and they're all still alive. I've also fed trimmings to pigs and poultry. Never heard of willow being poisonous to anything but having said that I've never kept goats.

Title: Re: Salix willow hedge
Post by: Simon O on February 25, 2013, 03:11:18 pm

salix = willow (latin name for willow) of which there are many ? hundreds of species - yours could be salix viminalis = 'superwillow', but I don't think any are particularly poisonous, plenty of people seem to feed willow to their animals

Title: Re: Salix willow hedge
Post by: goosepimple on February 26, 2013, 10:07:41 am

Yes, we have various colours of salix scotsgirl, the goats eat all the cuttings - it is supposed to have some substance that you can also find in asprin I believe, but have never heard of anything being poisonous to goats, ours have been eating all our varieties and no problems.

Title: Re: Salix willow hedge
Post by: darylandgoats on February 27, 2013, 07:59:13 pm

I would say you have come across some misinformation, as far as I know all willows are edible and very much enjoyed by goats! ????