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12/09/10, 01:29 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 66
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Acorns/oaks & goats
First, thank you for looking & bear with me if this has been answered already, I looked.
I live in the Missouri Ozarks & oaks with abundant acorns is a fact of life, we have been working on our enclosure for our goats that we plan to get in early spring earlier if I get it done sooner. There are so many oaks on our property & I have taken down 3 of the four that will be inside the enclosure. What concerns me is that we hope to slowly expand our herd and enclosure but that’s a lot of trees to cut down. Currently it is about 1/4 to 1/2 acre.
According to some articles I have read oak leafs & acorns are bad for goats, other state they have never had any problems. Just looking for some feedback on personal experiences.
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12/09/10, 01:42 PM
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The cream separator guy
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southern MO
Posts: 3,919
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According to most sources, they can be eaten without too many problems. The larger acorns, such as white oak, post oak, etc. have a much lower tannin content. The smaller ones have more tannin, and would probably be a bigger concern. According to one source, the problem is if the goat eats too many acorns. That is the issue with a lot of things; edible in small quantities, harmful in large.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/meatgoat.html
According to this source, the does eat acorns to flush before breeding.
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I'm an environmentalist, left wing, Ron Paul loving Prius driver with a farm. If you have a problem with that, kindly go take a leap.
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12/09/10, 01:58 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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I cut and carry oak browse to my goats EVERY day. Hasn't hurt them yet. Most folks in the Ozarks who have enough land for their goats to browse on their own have oak trees where the goats browse. No one is removing oak trees in goat habitat.
That said, if they were really hungry and binged on acorns on an empty stomach, that would be VERY bad.
Daily ingestion of some oak is NOT a problem. 
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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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12/09/10, 02:15 PM
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Ages Ago Acres Nubians
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: MO Ozarks
Posts: 2,603
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I too live in the Missouri Ozarks... I have a good sized herd of nubians... we bought land in the Ozarks because of the abundance of oaks & acorns LOL. Oak leaves make up a HUGE part of their diet... (I have oak trees in each of the kid pens.. excellent shade)... so I'd say "save yourself the work.. just leave your trees standing.
susie, mo ozarks
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"My darling girl, when are you going to understand that "normal" is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."
http://www.agesagoacresnubians.com/
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12/09/10, 02:32 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Missouri
Posts: 66
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Thank you all very much. I only wish I had found this site 2 days ago, would've saved me some work. Well at least I got a start on next winters wood pile.
I am new to goats so Ive been reading a lot and Stories book on goats even warned against oak leaves, I think that is what got me worried. Most sites ive found state if your herd is well fed it shouldnt be a problem. Once again thank you all for the info.
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12/09/10, 02:56 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: northcentral MN
Posts: 14,345
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If you are concerned just make sure you have free choice baking soda available to neutralize the acid.
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"Do you believe in the devil? You know, a supreme evil being dedicated to the temptation, corruption, and destruction of man?" Hobbs
"I'm not sure that man needs the help." Calvin
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12/09/10, 03:14 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,215
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My Saanens and Snubians adore oak leaves. They aren't nuts about acorns, but they'll reach waaay up for some good oak leaves!
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12/09/10, 03:17 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: KY
Posts: 386
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LOL. I know it's not funny but I'm chuckling right now because I (and probably most of us here) did the same thing when I got my first goats. The pastures were perfect. The fences were tight. The water was fresh. I even planted specific stuff around our farm pond to keep the water clean ....for them to look at, I guess, because I watered them in a trough (which got dumped and refilled daily).....
The ONLY dangerous thing my goats have ever eaten was a stupid, scrubby little azalea bush in a flower bed in front of my house. An acre away from anything I bothered to prepare for them, accessed in a split second after my daughter let one doe get by the gate she was using.
Still, nobody died. A little baking soda and some pepto and she was right as rain. It's great that you are worrying about this though! You're goats will do well in your pasture. Just always double check anything you read or you'll be running around like mad trying to protect those critters .....and usually it's for no reason.
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12/09/10, 03:37 PM
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le person
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 6,236
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It is a good idea to put out the baking soda as mentioned during acorn time. They are very acidifying and may be causing discomfort or lowered food intake without symptoms.
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12/09/10, 03:56 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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You might want to suspect other info in that book.
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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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12/09/10, 06:46 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,012
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We have no problems here with oaks either.
If I recall correctly this was discussed quite a while ago (and many times since) and it was a certain type of oak, or family of oak that causes issues.
HF
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12/09/10, 07:40 PM
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Lost in the Wiregrass
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: S.E.Alabama
Posts: 8,553
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stories book is best takein with a bottle of salt and some good advice from people who actually know what they are talking about,
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12/09/10, 10:37 PM
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The cream separator guy
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southern MO
Posts: 3,919
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO
You might want to suspect other info in that book.
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I beg your pardon?? 
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I'm an environmentalist, left wing, Ron Paul loving Prius driver with a farm. If you have a problem with that, kindly go take a leap.
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12/09/10, 11:03 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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See the post above yours. That book does *not* have the best reputation, precisely due to bad advice like the OP asked about.
__________________
Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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12/09/10, 11:25 PM
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The cream separator guy
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southern MO
Posts: 3,919
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Yes, but your post was before that.
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I'm an environmentalist, left wing, Ron Paul loving Prius driver with a farm. If you have a problem with that, kindly go take a leap.
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12/10/10, 07:26 AM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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I meant the post above the one where you asked about the book. The "I beg your pardon" post.
KSALguy shared the same view of that book as I have.
The best book I have is Dr. David Pugh's Sheep and Goat Medicine.
http://www.amazon.com/Sheep-Goat-Med.../dp/0721690521
__________________
Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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