ok, need opinions

[mamajohnson]

Took my girls for a walk down the hill today. They were snacking on the way (of course) and took a little side track into the woods a few times.
They were chowing down on poke weed. I turned around and they had a huge pokeweed eaten down to the stems. Now, I know it can be poisonous, and if a person eats it you have to boil, parboil, boil again etc.... so it won't make you sick. Now, they were eating the leaves and berries, never ate the red stems (which as far as I can find out have the most poison)
They did eat a good measure of other stuff, ie... oak, mimosa, sweetgum, elm, tall grasses and other misc. stuff.
So, do I need to worry or not?
This is all I could find
"Mayapple, bloodroot, pokeweed, nightshade and hellebore are other
alkaloidal plants. They are rarely eaten except when animals are
starving for better feed. Deaths from alkaloidal plants usually result
from severe digestive disturbances, pain and nervous symptoms. Animals
usually die in convulsions."
Not a comforting thought. Now, these girls are not starving!
So, ya'll go easy on me and give me some ideas on what to do. My DH says I should be sure they eat lots of browse to counteract it.

[Birch Greenway]

If it helps any, my goats have eaten small amounts of this (couple plants) and shown no ill effects. They have also eaten other things that they supposedly are not supposed to and been fine. The really great thing about goats is they browse, little bit of this, little of that and so the chances of them getting poisoned are still there but much more rare than other animals. I agree with your dh, give them other browse or hay also, I bet they will be fine.

[Jim S.]

Says here some farmers in Ky. are using pokeweed extract as a goat wormer! Maybe yer goats know something you don't?

Look under Organic Internal Parasite Management. (He's down on DE as ineffective, BTW.)

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences...sletterweb.pdf

Let us know what happens. I'm curious, but betting they'll be fine.

[mamajohnson]

well, just went to check on them, they are doing their thing... just munching around. lol! All seem fine, not bloated, no nervous twitches.
Well, they are current on worming and nice pink eyes, but who knows... maybe they needed a boost??