Poison plants

[chris30523]

I have just gotten my first goats.Boer-kiko cross.We have them fenced in a small area with underbrush large poplar trees and grass.They have eaten about as high as they can reach .I have recently read where Privet Hedge is poison.They have eaten what is in my pasture? I have had to treat three or four with diarrhea but so far so good.Should I worry?Does any one have any experience with this.Privet hedge here is about as much a problem as Kudzu.

[kaelinda]

if your privet hedge is the same as what we have growing wild here in tn. your goats will probably be fine eating it. i have nubian grade goats that i give free range on our property and they love the privet-been eating it for 7 years and no problem- my personal experience is that if goats are allowed to browse from birth with an good lead goat you will not have many problems with them eating anything harmful to them.
kaelinda

[Nancy_in_GA]

My vet said it was fine to let one of our kids eat privet hedge even while he was recovering from a bout of coccidiosis last summer.

And last winter, privet was the only thing still green here in January, except pines and cedars. We went in the woods many times and cut some tree-size ones down for the goats with a chain saw. They loved having some fresh stuff. And they had no problems with it.

Nancy

[chris30523]

Glad to hear it is no dangerous.My goats are all young so they don't have an experienced lead goat.The vet's and ag. agent here were not too helpful.I appreciate the input.

[Croenan]

My goats eat my pivet more than I would like and they do fine as well. They also eat tons of poplar leaves since we are in an area that has an abundance of them. Actually, I think pivet and poplar are their favorite, even over my roses!