China berry tree!!!

[GBov]

Have found a china berry tree in our new goat pasture. How bad is it? Will the goats eat it if there is grass, bamboo, pine, wild grape, trumpet vine, oak, honeysuckle, more bamboo, cat brier and many many MANY more that I just cant remember right now.

[noeskimo]

We have both China berry and it's cousin, Soap berry both all over the place so there's no way to get rid of it.. Although I had heard it was toxic,I haven't had any problems. last year, with the drought, we had NO green anything-except cactus and yucca, and yet the goats really didn't eat it. Bark off the cedar fence, yes,mesquite bark, yes and even some yucca, but I found no signs of them eating the either of my "berry" trees.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Info and list of toxic and nontoxic plants:
Fias Co Farm: Goats- Edible & Poisonous for Goats

[GBov]

Originally Posted by noeskimo

We have both China berry and it's cousin, Soap berry both all over the place so there's no way to get rid of it.. Although I had heard it was toxic,I haven't had any problems. last year, with the drought, we had NO green anything-except cactus and yucca, and yet the goats really didn't eat it. Bark off the cedar fence, yes,mesquite bark, yes and even some yucca, but I found no signs of them eating the either of my "berry" trees.

Thats a bit of good news!

The pasture is STUFFED with things to eat that are good for goats so these trees - have now found two more - are waaaaaaaaaaay outnumbered by goodies so I am going to cross my fingers and hope they dont go for them.

[Elsbet]

We have a lot of chinaberry, too, but thankfully none in the pasture. I did go through and cut out all the chokecherry trees, though. I lost a goat to them, once, and don't want to got through that again.
Hopefully your goats will be ok, though. They are fussy eaters and will go for the good stuff first. If forage looks like it is getting too low, increase your hay, and they should be fine.