Can Goats Eat Mint?

Can Goats Eat Mint? (Find Out!)

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Yes, goats can safely eat mint. It is even tasty and beneficial in many ways—although it seems it also just not palatable to many goats. In any case, it is perfectly safe, but should only ever be fed in moderation. Too much can become a problem.

 

So, mint is not dangerous in any way for goats—and can in fact be highly beneficial in several ways.

They don’t always like it, as I said, so prepare yourself for them to not want to eat it.

In careful moderation for a goat that takes to it, though, mint can be a beneficial addition to their diet.

Can Goats Eat Mint?

 

Is mint good for goats?

In a broad sense, mint is certainly good for goats in a few ways.

I would say, however, that the prevailing view is that they often don’t really like it very much.

At least, they would much rather eat pretty much anything else they might find.

That said, if your goats do happen to like it, then there are a few health benefits.

For one thing, mint is a great source of fiber.

A goat’s diet should be almost entirely fiber—most of which they will get from the hay and forage they eat.

Indeed, this should make up around 75% of their diet.

They will always benefit from extra, though.

Beyond that, mint is a great source of antioxidants.

Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals in your goat’s cells, which slowly damage them over time.

A good source of antioxidants is vital for a healthy diet.

Further, mint is a really good source of a number of healthy vitamins.

Potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium—the list goes on!

Minerals serve a variety of functions in the body, everything from the functioning of the immune system to the strength of the muscles and bones.

So, all in all, there are plenty of advantages to feeding your goats mint—let’s look at the caveats.

 

Is mint bad for goats?

Mint is not, in itself, bad for goats.

There’s nothing specific in there you need to be concerned about.

It won’t do them any harm.

That said, you do still need to be mindful of how much you’re giving them.

Mint, though just a plant, is still a fairly complex and nutrient-rich carbohydrate—so your goat really only needs a very small amount before it has extracted most of the benefit it can get out of it.

Beyond that, as I mentioned, you are going to have to consider the possibility that your goat won’t like mint.

Many goat owners report their goats trying mint once and then never again.

The reason for this isn’t clear.

But what is clear is that you should only feed your goats mint if they seem to want it—don’t force them.

While there are health benefits to eating mint, there is really nothing in them you couldn’t find elsewhere in something they would like more.

What about how to prepare the mint?

 

Can goats eat fresh mint?

Yes, goats can eat fresh mint, and if they enjoy it any form this is how they will.

A big part of a goat’s diet should ideally be roaming around a pasture looking for things to forage.

If they found mint on their forage, this is where they are most likely to eat it.

You should think of the diet you provide your goat as being the best approximation of what they might have access to in the wild.

If they had access to any kind of mint, or indeed any plant matter, it would be fresh growth.

Again, though, they still might not like it!

 

Can goats eat dried mint?

While they can and it likely wouldn’t do them much harm, there’s also no real reason to either.

They almost certainly aren’t going to enjoy it very much, and virtually all of the health benefits I mentioned earlier would have been lost in the drying process.

Don’t bother giving your goats dried mint.

There’s no real benefit.

 

Can goats eat cooked mint?

While it depends on how it was cooked, whether it was cooked in any oils or spices potentially harmful, the best rule of thumb is just not to give your goats cooked food of any kind.

Again, while it would be unlikely to do them any harm in small amounts, it also wouldn’t carry much benefit, either.

If your goats take to mint, give it fresh and raw—don’t bother cooking it.

 

The thing you’ll have to do first, then, is establish whether or not your goat actually likes mint.

As I said, it seems to be fairly widely accepted that goats generally are really not interested in mint.

They may eat it if nothing else is available, but they won’t be all that excited about it.

That said, goats have highly individual personalities, and it may well be that your goat loves mint!

You’ll have to find that out, though—in any case, don’t force it.

 

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