Can Goats Eat Cranberries?

Can Goats Eat Cranberries? (Answered!)

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Yes, goats can eat cranberries. They’re healthy and nutritious. However, your goat only needs to eat a small amount before it has really gotten all the benefit it needs. So, they should only eat cranberries in strict moderation. Once or twice a week, at most, on top of their regular diet.

 

So, the simple answer is yes—but it’s ultimately a bit more complicated than that.

Let’s look further into this.

Can Goats Eat Cranberries?

Are cranberries good for goats?

Yes, they are, in lots of ways.

First and foremost, your goats are almost certain to love them, and enjoy eating them.

Don’t underestimate the value of a tasty, healthy treat for their overall wellbeing.

It keeps them happy and stops them from getting bored of their regular diet.

Beyond that, though, they come with many specific health benefits.

They are a good source of fiber, for one thing.

Fiber helps their overall digestion run smoothly and is the backbone of a goat’s diet.

They are also rich in antioxidant compounds.

Antioxidants are vital for protecting the cells from damage over time, which occurs when free radicals form.

These can have a degenerative effect over time, and so are another vital part of your goat’s diet.

They also have a number of positive effects on heart health.

They improve the balance of cholesterol, have been shown to lower blood pressure, and reduce the amount of homocysteine in the body.

This can damage the lining of blood vessels.

They are also a great source of a number of essential minerals, such as manganese and copper.

Goat owners often struggle with copper deficiencies in their goats, so a good variety of foods with a solid source of copper is always a good idea for their diet.

So, yes, cranberries are good for goats in a whole range of ways.

But it’s important to be aware of some caveats to this.

 

Are cranberries bad for goats?

No, cranberries aren’t bad for goats in themselves.

There’s nothing dangerous or toxic about them and consuming them won’t harm your goats.

However, the very fact that they are so nutrient-rich should give you a reason for caution.

Goats have a fairly simple diet, the majority of which should be made up of hay and forage.

The rest should be made up of a variety of fresh fruit and veg as treats, and so cranberries should only be a small part of this.

Moderation is the most important thing.

As I said, cranberries are very nutrient-rich, and your goat really only needs to eat a small amount before it has gotten all the benefits that it needs.

If it eats beyond this limit, it will be over-nourished, which will cause stomach issues and a variety of other potential problems.

Feed your goats cranberries once or twice a week as a treat.

Swap them out with other treats for the rest of the week.

This will ensure the best possible balance and will keep them from getting bored.

But cranberries come in a number of forms—what about cranberry sauce?

 

Can goats eat cranberry sauce?

Yes, they can, although if it’s store-bought you should be careful of the ingredients. There could be a lot of preservatives or other ingredients not ideal for goats.

Otherwise, cranberry sauce is totally fine for goats and they will enjoy eating it.

Some research shows that a lot of the antioxidant qualities are in the skin of the cranberries, though, so it could be that you lose some of this quality in the sauce.

What about cranberry juice, then?

 

Can goats have cranberry juice?

The answer here is much the same as above.

Cranberry juice is perfectly safe for goats, though you may lose the antioxidant quality in the juicing process.

Again, store-bought cranberry juice is also likely to have a long list of added ingredients, particularly sugar, which won’t be ideal for your goats.

One thing we have not touched on is cranberry’s ability to prevent certain urinary tract issues.

 

Can cranberries prevent urinary calculi?

There is a lot of evidence that cranberries in the diet can help goats with urinary calculi, and many goat owners use them for just this reason.

Urinary calculi are solid particles in your goats urine, which cause pain, discomfort, and even damage to the urinary tract.

They are not quite the same as urinary stones, and cranberries may not be able to prevent the formation of these.

But they can certainly be one line of defence in the battle against urinary calculi.

If your goat is suffering from urinary calculi, then you should of course consult with a vet.

But adding cranberries to their regular diet can be a big help in treating it.

 

Ultimately, then, goats can certainly eat and enjoy cranberries.

They are healthy and make a great snack for your goats.

However, moderation is always the most important thing.

If you overfeed them on cranberries, it will quickly become an issue for their health.

Balance is the most important thing in their diet, and cranberries should make up only a small part of that.

 

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