Can Goats Eat Apples? (Are They Safe?)

The answer to this question is yes they can. In fact they have many health benefits as Apples are a very healthy and nutritious treat for Goats. But, like the majority of other fruits they should be eaten in moderation.

So, whether you are a Goat owner or are just curious as to whether Goats can eat Apples or not, carry on reading this article for more information about Goats and apples.

In this article, we are going to look at the nutritious values that Apples have for Goats, whether or not baby Goats can eat them, how they should be prepared and so much more.

Let’s not waste any more time and get right into it.

Contents

Are Apples healthy for Goats?

Apples are very healthy and nutritious fruits.

They are great additions to their diets because they have a lot of health benefits for your Goats, because they contain nutrients such as fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium and so many others.

Fiber

Just like us human’s the addition of Fiber in their diet is crucial.

This particular nutrient will help to maintain your Goats’ bowel health.

Adding fiber to your Goats diet means that their stool will be healthy and soft, which makes it so much easier for your Goat to pass it.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a very important part of a Goats diet.

It is also known as ascorbic acid and can aid the growth, development and the repair of all of the body’s tissues, in your Goat.

Vitamin C is also great for other things as it is involved in so many of the body’s functions such as the absorption of iron, the proper functioning of the immune system and the maintenance of cartilage, bones, and teeth.

Potassium

Potassium is also a very important part of your Goats diet.

This is because it is heavily involved in regulating fluid balances, muscle contractions and nerve signals.

If your Goat has a high potassium diet, it can help them greatly as a high amount of Potassium can help to reduce blood pressure and water retention.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a group of vitamins and is a very vital part of your Goats diet.

Vitamin K is responsible for helping your body produce blood clots that help wounds to heal.

So, not only will it help your Goat massively if they were to cut themselves, but Vitamin K also helps to maintain bone health.

Can Goats Eat Apple seeds?

As you may or may not know, Apple seeds contain a substance called amygdalin, when this substance comes into contact with the stomach, it then releases cyanide.

Now, I know this sounds dangerous but, most of the time the cyanide does not have a chance to become deadly because the body’s enzymes are able to detoxify the chemical before it can do anything bad.

So, now that we have gotten through that, let us get on to the question.

Can your Goats eat Apple seeds?

The answer is yes.

They can eat Apple seeds, because the amount of cyanide that is actually released from the seed of an Apple is not enough to do actual harm to your Goat.

You would have to feed your Goat around 5 pounds of Apple seeds, in a single day, for it to put them at risk of poisoning.

So, the few seeds that are in the apple are absolutely okay for them to consume.

But, just like the actual Apple and many other fruits, they should be given to your Goats as a rare treat.

Can Goats eat the leaves of an Apple?

Naturally, Goats are browsers, meaning that they would much prefer to eat things such as leaves over grass.

So, to answer the question. Yes.

They absolutely can eat the leaves of an Apple and in fact they will probably love it.

So next time you are feeding Apples to your Goats or are eating them for yourself, instead of throwing away the leaves, give them to your Goats instead.

Can Goats eat the Apple core?

Yes. Your Goat can eat the core of the Apple. They can, in fact eat the whole of the apple, including the skin.

While it doesn’t really have any nutritional benefits for them, it doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy it.

As we have said before, Goats are browsers and love to eat things like Apple cores.

Can baby Goats eat Apples?

No. Baby Goats should not be eating anything other than their mother’s milk, especially for the first thirty days of their lives.

At this point in their lives, their digestive system is not very strong and are not able to digest anything other than their mother’s milk.

However, over time their digestive system gets stronger and when they are around forty-five days old you may begin slowly adding other things to their diet, such as hay.

This will help to make their digestive system a lot stronger so that you are able to incorporate foods such as Apples into their diet.

Even when they are able to eat foods such as Apples they should be fed to them as a rare treat and should be cut up very small to avoid them choking on it.

How should you prepare an Apple for your Goats?

As you probably know, Apples are already fairly small fruits so your Goat can probably eat it whole.

However, Goats cannot open their mouths very wide, so even if they are small fruits, they may still struggle to eat them.

What can you do to make them easier for them to eat?

Simply, cut the Apple up into bite sized slices.

This way your Goat can easily consume them very easily without a great risk of them choking.

By cutting the Apple into slices, you are also able to see how many seeds are in the Apple and you can take them out if you do not wish to feed them to your Goat.

Can Goats drink Apple juice?

Yes, your Goats can drink Apple juice.

While they should really be drinking fresh water, your Goats may not always want to drink that, and it is very important for them to stay hydrated.

This is especially important on hot summer days, so giving your Goat a small amount of Apple juice every now and then will do no harm to them.

If you do decide to give your Goat Apple juice, just like the actual fruit it should be given to them in moderation to avoid them consuming too much sugar which will result in painful bloating in your Goat.