Freaking Out About My Browse/Graze Areas!

[Horse Fork Farm]

I'm just realizing there are possibly plants in some graze areas that might be poisonous to goats. I'm particularly worried about White Snake Root, because it passes through the milk to the person drinking it and its fatal. How do you guys do it? I feel overwhelmed by a lack of knowledge on my part. Even after viewing color pics on Ag sites, I'm still not sure about a lot of plants in question...

[Alice In TX/MO]

I have that issue, too. Many plants look alike, and you have to see them flowering!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eu...um-flowers.JPG

[CarolT]

My understanding is that, if it's harmful to the goat, especially, the goat won't eat it if it has plenty of other browse, hay, etc. All I know to do is try to keep them well fed and work on eliminating any bad weeds as you can identify them... I know, not much help, but the best I have. Hopefully, someone else has better advice.

Going to look up snakeroot now <sigh>

[where I want to]

There are a few plants that are not good for them that they love to nibble like bracken and rhodi's. A lot of them they indeed won't eat unless desperate.
When I first move to my place, I took a half hour or so each morning in season to walk in the fields with a cart, picking up rocks (my best crop) and pulling noxious weeds. After a couple of years, I pretty much don't have to do this anymore. I now spend the extra time making raised beds from the rocks.
Like anything else, one step at a time...........

[gila_dog]

Originally Posted by CarolT

My understanding is that, if it's harmful to the goat, especially, the goat won't eat it if it has plenty of other browse, hay, etc. All I know to do is try to keep them well fed and work on eliminating any bad weeds as you can identify them... I know, not much help, but the best I have. Hopefully, someone else has better advice.

Going to look up snakeroot now <sigh>

That's been my experience. My goats eat whatever they want, and never get sick. We don't have things like rhododendron, but we do have loco weed. They ignore it. What they love is juniper, oak, pine, yucca, mesquite, salt cedar, mistletoe, poison ivy, tumbleweeds, etc etc etc. I've quit worrying about it. But this isn't West Virginia.

[pookshollow]

Milkweed is supposed to be toxic - I no longer have it in my pasture because the goats ate every bit of it. I've seen 12 week old kids eating deadly nightshade - they're still here.

I think as long as there's plenty of good stuff for them to eat, they won't pig out on the bad stuff growing in the fields. The problems seem to occur when someone mistakenly gives them a bunch of toxic fodder (trimmings, etc) and they think they've been given a treat.

[CarolT]

What I've always called milkweed is _not_ what I saw in the pictures of the "toxic to goats" milkweed

However, the holly bushes they ate down to nubs _did_ look like the pictures of what was toxic LOL

[Horse Fork Farm]

I took a bunch of pics of weeds today. Would you guys take a look if I can get them posted tomorrow? I would soo appreciate it!

[Horse Fork Farm]

Thanks!

[bee]

Well, I'm in WV and choosing the site to prep for my new 4 goat herd. I have 5 acres but want to keep them close to the house because of predators. I have a lovely spot of lightly wooded area that they would enjoy for shade and the fact it is lightly rolling for good drainage( I am determined to not have muddy , mucky areas for their feet.). Now I have to consider what I was blissfully ignorant of just a few days ago..poisionus flora. Here I thought I could just securely fence and let them eat what they wanted....being careful only of wilted cherry. Now I have to go on the hunt for snakeroot; at least I have no laurel or rhodi. I have some time, delivery is when I am ready for them.

[Wags]

In some places you can contact your local extension agent and they will send someone out to check your pastures for poisonous plants.

[floodthelast]

This is something I have been thinking about too. We are looking for a new home that would be suitable for goats and I need to keep an eye on possible pastures.