Does any breed of goat eat poision oak?

Answer 1

Can't say for sure, but in general goats do eat anything. If you see them eat it, be careful of getting their saliva on you as it will contain the oil that causes the rash in poison oak--this happens with horses anyway.

Answer 2

According to the extension office, there is nothing documented that shows any toxic effects of these plants on horses, except that the plants MIGHT irritate the lips and mouth of SOME horses when they eat it. Also, cows, pigs and goats can eat the plants with no ill effects whatsoever, so it stands to reason that horses can also. Honey made by bees who feed on poison ivy isn't poisonous. Rabbits, squirrels and rodents can safely eat the berries that would kill a human. I certainly wouldn't FEED it to horses OR put them in a pasture that is COVERED in it, but according to everything I've read, it doesn't appear as though eating a few leaves is going to have any effect on the horses. Also, keep in mind that your horse brushing their mouths against the plant CAN spread the oil to you, which can infect your skin with poison ivy exactly the same as if you came into direct contact with the plant. Further down on the page is a link to Cornell University that gives an extensive list of plants known to be poisonous to horses.

Answer 3

No. Both mountain laurel and rhododendrons are poisonous to goats. Goats will usually stay away from poisonous plants unless they are really hungry (except for bracken ferns - I have to keep my goats away from them). There are plenty of poinsonous plant lists for goats to view or download on the web. They are rather lengthy, so you might want to check them out.

Answer 4

Goats will selectively eat Poison Oak. California looked into it as an alternative control measure.

*****EDITED*****

Yes, regular full size goats can and do eat poison ivy and are fine with it, providing it is not the only item available on their menu. We have always kept at least one large female goat (or one fixed male) on our property to keep the poison ivy under control. They won't eat a lot of it every day, but they will nip away at it slowly but surely until it is all gone. One goat in particular that we had, we had for nearly 20 years, and poison ivy was a regular part of his diet (that was our purpose for having him on our acreage).

HOWEVER, it is my understanding that Pygmy goats CANNOT eat poison ivy (or poison oak), because it IS poisonous to them! Therefore, we have never owned any pigmies. If you buy a pigmy, make sure you don't have any poison ivy available for them to eat, because they will eat it, with bad consequences......

Answer 5

Yes, regular full size goats can and do eat poison ivy and are fine with it, providing it is not the only item available on their menu. We have always kept at least one large female goat (or one fixed male) on our property to keep the poison ivy under control. They won't eat a lot of it every day, but they will nip away at it slowly but surely until it is all gone. One goat in particular that we had, we had for nearly 20 years, and poison ivy was a regular part of his diet (that was our purpose for having him on our acreage).

HOWEVER, it is my understanding that Pygmy goats CANNOT eat poison ivy, because it IS poisonous to them! Therefore, we have never owned any pigmies. If you buy a pigmy, make sure you don't have any poison ivy available for them to eat, because they will eat it, with bad consequences......

Answer 6

I have been researching the answer to this question due to an infestation of English ivy...that answer is (so far) mostly Yes!... with the caution that a combination of eating English ivy together with Wysteria may result in death...so caution is still needed. I am still wondering if milk from animals foraging on English ivy safe for human consumption since the ivy has high concentrations of saponins...a toxin....

Now my question has evolved into ...Even though goats can eat quantities of English ivy without obvservable effects, ...should they?

Goats are known to have an insatiable appetitie for roughage and have developed a reputation for "eating anything", however...they will only forage undesirable plants when there is nothing else ( or new to area and don't know any better)

I have a feeling too much English ivy may be detrimental...more research needed....I do know if you turned a goat loose in an English ivy infested woods next to a meadow or scrubland, they'd go for the meadow and scrub and think you were crazy for offering English ivy...tolerated but not desireable, caution warranted...

Answer 7

Yes, goats are known to eat poison oak as they are browsers and have the ability to digest a variety of plants, including toxic ones like poison oak. However, it is important to monitor their consumption, as even though they can eat it, it does not mean it is necessarily safe for them to consume in large quantities.