Can goats eat Christmas trees?
It’s a common misconception that goats can and will eat anything. This myth is rooted in the reality that unlike cows, horses or even sheep, goats are browsers and not grazers. That means they prefer leaves, and if in a wooded area they will eat the small trees first, starting as high as the can reach and working their way down. Then they’ll hit the brush and bushes, again starting at the top. Then the ivy or other broadleaf ground plant. In my experience, grass is usually their last choice. Some of my goats would prefer to strip the bark off the saplings before they eat grass.
This habit must be an inherited self defense from a goat’s worst enemy - parasites (aka worms). Worms are in just about every pasture that has ever been a pasture, and they work themselves up blades of grass and end up in a goat’s stomach where they cause havoc. Every goat farmer has a method for avoiding this fate. (More on that in another blog post someday.)
Getting around to the point, though… It’s time to toss out that tree, so you might be wondering if your goats can consume it. The basic answer is yes. Goats love evergreens, and mine have eaten pine, blue spruce, cedar and Frazier fur with enthusiasm. There are a few things to consider, though, before you toss that tree into the pasture:
Where did it come from? I read once that trees that come from farms that use lots of pesticides aren’t good for livestock. I can’t say with confidence that is true, but it has led me to avoid big box stores for my tree purchases and instead seek out local farms and, when possible, cut-your-own locations. Besides, it’s more fun!
What did you put on it? My son loves tinsel. But, it is absolutely not allowed in our house. Not because it isn’t shiny and fun but because it is impossible to get off the tree. And you sure would hate to feed a hook or two to your goats, because they actually CAN’T eat tin cans and would get very sick. Be sure to remove EVERYTHING before considering feeding it to the goats.
What other options do they have? I learned the hard way never to give a hungry goat new food without their usual supply of forage being available. The tree it not an appropriate substitute for their usual pasture or hay. Otherwise, they will eat too much of it, which could cause problems. Remember, goats are browsers meant to move from one plant to the next getting a lot of variety in their diet.
My goats typically make a run for the tree and tear into it for about 5 minutes before going back to hay for a bit. Last year’s tree was in the field much of the winter before the chewed it down to the nubs and it made its way to the burn pile. If you want to control their intake more closely, you can also cut branches and hang them in stalls, which has the added benefit of improving the smell of the barn.
Happy New Year to all, and happy eating to your herds!