Can Goats Eat Cantaloupe?

Can Goats Eat Cantaloupe? (Is It Safe?)

by

The answer is yes, most goats will love cantaloupe! Cantaloupe is a healthy, tasty treat when given in moderation, and can be part of an excellent balanced diet. They are relatively high in sugar like a lot of juicy fruit, so moderation is key, but in the correct amount, cantaloupe is perfectly fine for goats.

 

Goats are highly individual animals with individual tastes and preferences.

Some of your goats will probably prefer the weeds and leaves that grow and drift into their pasture.

It is important to get at least a bit of fresh fruit into their diet, though, and cantaloupe is usually very popular.

Can Goats Eat Cantaloupe?

 

Which part of a cantaloupe can goats eat?

Goats will love pretty much all of a cantaloupe.

Naturally, their favorite part will be the flesh; make sure you find a good, ripe, juicy cantaloupe as they will get the most out of the fleshy part.

True to their reputation, goats will not stop at the flesh.

Once they’ve done away with the flesh, they will likely move on to the rind.

They won’t enjoy it as much as the flesh and may not finish it, but they’ll probably have a go. I

f you’re just thinking of giving kitchen scraps containing cantaloupe rind to your goat, chopping it up into smaller pieces can make it easier for them to eat.

Finally, the seeds of cantaloupe are more than safe for your goat, and there has never been any indication of toxicity in cantaloupe seeds.

That said, it’s probably best not to let your goat eat more than what’s inside one cantaloupe.

Don’t give them seeds by themselves.

Finally, if you grow your own cantaloupes, then luckily, the stems and leaves of the plants are also safe.

Again, though, they’re likely to ignore these if they have a full piece of fruit in front of them.

So, goats like cantaloupe mostly the same way we do, except that we’re probably less likely to turn on the rind when all the flesh is gone.

 

Is cantaloupe good for goats?

With the important caveat of moderation out of the way, let’s look at the health benefits of cantaloupe.

First of all, like a lot of similar fruits, cantaloupe is mostly water.

So, the fruit, on top of all the nutrients it provides, is great for hydrating your goats and so makes a great treat on a hot day.

They also contain many of the same healthy vitamins and minerals that are good for us.

Vitamin C is a very helpful vitamin present in cantaloupes, essential for a number of reasons including healthy cells.

Antioxidants like vitamin C are really important for warm-blooded creatures of all kind.

They also contain high quantities of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy immune system as well as strong skin and bones.

As I mentioned, cantaloupe do contain fairly high amounts of sugar.

It is far from excessive, though, especially when compared with other similar fruits.

Cantaloupe contain around 8g of sugar per 100g of fruit, as compared to something like a watermelon, which contains a whopping 18g of sugar per 100g of fruit.

Moderation is still key, as fruit should only make up a small part of your goat’s diet in the first place.

Of that percentage, cantaloupe again should only make up a small part. With that in mind, cantaloupe will be a great addition to your goat’s diet.

 

Can goats eat watermelon?

You may be wondering about other fruits similar to cantaloupe.

Honeydew melons are much the same as cantaloupe, and so are also a great treat.

Watermelon is another possibility, and though as I said they are higher in sugar content, they will still be loved by your goats and a great snack in moderation.

Again, there is no part of a watermelon that is safe from your goat once you’ve handed it over.

When it’s finished with the flesh it will move on to the rind.

As the name implies and as you know if you too are a fan of watermelon, they have an even higher water content than cantaloupes.

So, they are even more hydrating than a cantaloupe and contain many of the same healthy vitamins and minerals.

Given the higher sugar content, you must nonetheless be extra cautious about giving watermelon to your goats.

They will understandably love it and may even go a bit crazy for it, but it must still only be a treat and a very small part of their diet.

On a hot day, though, your goat will love a piece of watermelon or two!

Cantaloupe, and melons in general, then, make a great addition to your goat’s diet.

They’re full of healthy vitamins and minerals, packed with moisture for staying hydrated and there’s no part of the whole thing that a goat won’t enjoy at least a bit.

It’s vitally important to include fresh fruits and vegetables in your goat’s diet to keep it at its healthiest, but nonetheless it should only ever make up a small part of this.

With all that in mind, cantaloupe will make a great snack for your goat.

 

More in Fruit

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Leave a Comment