Green plums?

[CAjerseychick]

Soooo goats are now pastured, and in the pasture is a big plum tree (maybe prune plums as I dont think they ever change color, they stay green- funny but I dont remember, we never had to pay attention to them before as noone usu is back there, but now that there is a fence its different).... goats like to stand on their hind legs and rip off green leaves and green plums.. and munch them down... (its an old stand with 20 or so trunks all together from where fallen plums sprouted into trees so bark damage is neglible)....

THoughts anyone, goats seem fine and they have plenty of tall grass willow and berry brush to eat as well...

[Alice In TX/MO]

No personal experience, but google yields this:

Dairy Goat Journal article excerpt:

Peaches, Plums and Other Stonefruits

Wilting of the green leaves caused by frost, storm damage, or cutting precipitates changes to glucoside found in the leaves, changing it to hydrocyanic acid (HCN) and sugar. Those sweet, wilted leaves are more attractive to goats than fresh foliage. HCN content varies widely; but under some conditions, a few handfuls of leaves are enough to kill much larger animals such as horses or cows.

So, a cyanide poisoning should be suspected when sudden death of animals follows windstorms or an early, sharp frost. These leaves apparently lose their poison after they have become dry; it’s the limp, green or partially yellowed leaves that hold the greatest danger. Stone-fruits also belong to this group.

[CAjerseychick]

Very good to know, DH has been pruning back trees and throwing them to the goats (the cuttings) but so far only willow and pine....(we only have 2 plum tree stands)...

Luckily it is bright cool and sunny, they have to pull off what plum leaves and fruit they can reach.... maybe this applies later in the season as the fruit ripens and drops to the ground...

[Frosted Mini's]

I have heard of issues from the wilted leaves, but my goats often get leaves from peach, plum, etc, with no problems. I think with the variety you describe, your goats will probably be just fine. They will almost certainly debark and kill the tree though, so if you want that tree to survive, fence it off. We are making an area for our goats right now that has lots of trees, so nice for the shade, but we are putting up pallets around the base of the trunks, so they don't kill the entire tree (and then have no shade anyway!).