Can Goats Eat Crab Apples?

Can Goats Eat Crab Apples? (Find Out!)

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Yes, goats can eat crab apples—in moderation. In small amounts, crab apples will be beneficial for your goats in a number of ways. However, such a thing should only represent a treat, and a very small part of their diet. Feed them crab apples perhaps once a week.

 

So, the short answer is that yes, crab apples are completely safe.

There is nothing in them that is dangerous or toxic, and certainly nothing that will outright harm them from a single fruit.

Nonetheless, a goat’s diet should still overall be very simple—and the amount of crab apple in it should reflect that.

Let’s look further into this.

Can Goats Eat Crab Apples?

Are crab apples good for goats?

Crab apples are good for goats in a number of ways—assuming they are fed in the right quantities.

For one thing, they represent a tasty treat that your goat will love.

Crab apples are juicy, sweet and full of flavor, so the most important thing to say about them is that your goats will probably love eating them!

Beyond that, crab apples are a great source of fiber.

Fiber is essential to the overall digestive comfort of the body, and while goats get a lot of fiber from the plants and hay they eat, they can never really have too much.

So, the extra fiber from crab apples is great for them.

But the benefits don’t stop there.

Crab apples, like many fruits, are also packed with all sorts of vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins like A and C are present, and serve a variety of functions, most importantly acting as an antioxidant.

Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals which damage your goat’s cells.

Minerals like calcium and potassium support a healthy skeleton and muscles, as well as strengthening the immune system.

So, as you can see, crab apples are packed with all sorts of benefits—so let’s look at the caveats.

 

Are crab apples bad for goats?

The biggest and most important caveat to mention is, of course, moderation.

Most of your goat’s diet should be simple grazing or hay—it can also be both, too.

In any case, around 75% of their diet should be very simple plant matter, like grass or hay.

The remainder should be taken up by a great variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Of this, crab apples should make up a still smaller part.

As you can see from what I said, crab apples are packed with many nutrients.

On the face of it, this is very good.

However, the very fact that they are so nutrient rich means goats, with their simple diets, only need to eat a small amount before they have all the benefit they need.

Feed your goats crab apples once or twice a week, at most.

Swap them out for other treats in the rest of the week to ensure they get the best range of nutrients.

 

How to prepare crab apples

The simple answer is you don’t need to prepare them.

Since I have a tree on my property, often my goats will just eat the apples straight from the ground when they fall off the tree.

That said, you can do a couple of things if you wish.

For some smaller goats, the apples may be a bit difficult to chew if whole—so you may wish to chop them up.

The other thing is the seeds.

The seeds contain trace amounts of cyanide, and while you might be wondering why I waited to mention this, there is really nothing to worry about.

It is in such small concentrations as to be harmless.

That said, if you wish, you can pit and deseed the crab apple—this will remove all cyanide.

 

Can goats eat crab apple branches?

They can eat the branches, too, and often they do seem to enjoy them.

The branches of the crab apple tree are quite chewy and tasty for goats, so they’ve often been seen chewing on the branches.

This is perfectly safe, although you may want to keep an eye on how much they’re eating.

If they are eating branches a lot, they may need a switch up in their diet.

What about the leaves?

 

Can goats eat crab apple leaves?

Yes, they can eat the leaves, too.

Generally, the trees are high enough that goats can’t reach the leaves easily.

For the most part, your goat will just leave the leaves alone.

That said, if you are worried about them eating leaves which fall down, you have nothing to fear.

It is totally safe for your goats to eat crab apple leaves.

 

Crab apples are totally safe for your goats, then. you’ve nothing to fear in terms of poisons, toxins, or anything outright dangerous—though you are of course welcome to remove the seeds and pit.

The really important thing, though is that you don’t overfeed your goats on crab apples.

As a treat perhaps once a week is plenty—swap their treats out in the rest of the week.

This will keep them from getting bored and provide the best range of nutrients.

 

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