Can Goats Eat Brussel Sprouts?

Can Goats Eat Brussel Sprouts? (Answered!)

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Yes, Brussel sprouts are safe for goats in moderation. Goats have a reputation as literal omnivores who will eat just about anything. This is only somewhat true, however, and there are issues that can be caused by too much fresh veg in a goat’s diet. Brussel sprouts should be an occasional treat.

 

The thing to remember, also, is that your goats might simply not like Brussel sprouts.

Despite their reputation, goats can actually be very picky when it comes to what they eat.

They might reject the sprouts just like your family members do.

But let’s look into it in more detail and explore how you might give your goat sprouts.

Can Goats Eat Brussel Sprouts?

What should goats eat?

So, where to fit Brussel sprouts into a goat’s diet? Well, first think about how it already eats.

Goats’ diets should be around 75% hay, whether that’s grass hay, alfalfa or legume hay.

They will eat mostly dry, fibrous plant matter like this, and an ordinary goat should be eating between 2 and 4 pounds of hay each day.

This is the most important staple of their diet and you should always be sure they’re eating enough hay.

Ruminants like goats and deer also like to be able to roam around and forage for food.

Ideally, your goats will have a large pasture to roam and find food on, such as roots, leaves and some foliage.

This is not just about nutrition but also the enriching and stimulating activity of looking around and finding food.

Brussel sprouts come in as part of the treat category.

The best treat for your goats should be including a small number of fresh fruits and vegetables in their diets.

It is really great for them to have fresh plant food in their diets to balance out all the dry, fibrous hay they’re eating.

Naturally, then, this is where Brussel sprouts fall.

It’s still best to get a good variety in this small subsection of their diet; various fruits and vegetables to keep their digestive systems happy but also for the sake of keeping them interested in new snacks.

A good way to get this type of food to your goats is through your kitchen compost bin, if you have one.

Any scraps of old fruits and veg that you have will likely go down a treat.

Be careful, however, of things like avocado and potato.

These foods can cause a host of problems for goats including death.

Eggshells can also cause problems for goats.

So, before tipping out your compost bin onto your pasture, be sure of what’s in there.

 

Are raw sprouts safe for goats?

Yes, it really doesn’t matter if you feed your goat raw or cooked sprouts.

You should be careful how they were cooked if you are going to give them to your goat, as certain spices like garlic can be harmful for goats.

Other than that, it doesn’t make much difference.

Cooked sprouts will be a bit softer and probably more palatable in that sense.

Many goat owners do report that their goats simply rejected the Brussel sprouts offered, though they may have enjoyed the stems.

Cooked vegetables simply represent a food not necessarily all that palatable to goats; there’s a reason they were grown for us to eat!

Brussel sprouts are often roasted in heaps of oil, too, which is not good for goats.

It is essentially liquid fat and is not especially good for humans either, so just keep that in mind.

Raw sprouts are probably the better option.

However, again, it is very easy to give goats excessive amounts of sprouts which can cause problems.

Bloating and discomfort are probably the worst you’re likely to run into, but just be very aware if this happens the amount of sprouts you fed it.

Avoid giving it the same quantities again.

In fact, if your goat experiences discomfort after eating sprouts, it probably won’t touch them again in future.

There is a compound in the entire family of vegetables to which sprouts belongs called glucosinolate, which is toxic for goats.

Toxic only in the sense that it will be harmful to your goat in very large quantities; it is very unlikely to be fatal and in small quantities will cause no problems at all.

So, in excess, Brussel sprouts can be very bad for goats, as almost any fresh fruit or vegetable can be.

You need to carefully plan your goat’s diet, especially if you’re going to introduce something that could cause problems in large amounts.

 

Brussel sprouts can make a great little treat for your goats, then, if served properly.

Any fresh fruit or vegetable should be fed with cautious moderation to your goats, and should only compliment the other parts of its diet.

Sprouts especially are really a human food, and so your goat may not even want to eat them.

It would probably prefer the stem in most cases, but if you find that your goat is enjoying the sprouts, then you’ve got a good, occasional treat for them.

 

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