Can Goats Eat Cumin?

Can Goats Eat Cumin? (Answered!)

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Yes, cumin is safe for goats. In spice form it is not especially beneficial, though, as they shouldn’t just eat pure spices. In plant form, though, or seed form, cumin has been shown to be beneficial to goat diets in a number of ways. Moderation is still important, though—they shouldn’t eat too much.

 

So, it’s quite important to clarify what we mean by cumin—most of us, no doubt, will think of it in the powder form that comes in little bottles from the store.

But it is also a plant and comes in seed form, too.

Let’s look further into this.

Can Goats Eat Cumin?

 

Is cumin good for goats?

Yes, it is, in a number of ways—but it very much depends on the form you give it to them in.

Let’s focus on the plant, first.

Goats are natural foragers and ruminants, meaning that they like to roam around a large area and find a variety of plants to eat.

This is as opposed to grazers like cows and sheep, who eat mostly grass.

Cumin is a great plant for them to find and eat, if you happen to have it growing on your property or decide to cultivate it.

It’s tasty and fibrous, and the flowers are attractive to your inquisitive goats.

They will almost certainly enjoy eating it.

The plant is a good source of fiber, which is the most important part of your goat’s diet.

Most of what they eat should be fiber, of one form or another.

Whether it’s hay or forage, it should make up around 75% of their diet.

The seeds, too, have been shown to be beneficial in indirect ways.

One study showed that while cumin seeds, on their own, did not affect the intake of nutrients overall, they did enhance the digestibility of the nutrients.

This led to higher ruminal fermentation and eventually an increased milk yield.

So, the benefits were mostly for those looking to milk their goats on a large scale.

But they are still there for the goats, too.

Now, let’s consider some important caveats.

 

Is cumin bad for goats?

Cumin is not inherently bad for goats.

It is not dangerous or poisonous and won’t cause them immediate harm.

Nonetheless, moderation is always important, even for healthy plants and seeds.

Too much of any one thing will cause issues, so you should avoid feeding them on cumin too much.

Ensure they have a good variety of forage available.

As far as ground cumin goes, though, there’s virtually no benefit to letting your goats eat this.

It is not actively bad for them, but they most likely won’t even go near it, to begin with.

It’s very difficult to just eat a powder like that, in any case.

As I mentioned, the study did show that nutrient digestibility was enhanced with cumin seed intake, but the nutrient intake itself.

Clearly, then, cumin seeds are not sufficient in themselves to constitute a good diet—they just help with digestion overall.

In good moderation, then, the cumin plant can be a good additional forage for your goats.

The seeds can help digest the rest of their diet—but the powder is virtually useless.

Let’s consider why more closely.

 

Can goats eat ground cumin?

They can, but they really shouldn’t.

As I said, the main problem you’re going to have is that your goats probably won’t have any interest in eating it to begin with.

Ground cumin is meant to be used as a spice, and not as something that is eaten by itself.

Goats will be put off by the strong flavor, most likely, and even if they did eat it, would get virtually no nutrition out of it.

So, while it isn’t exactly unsafe for your goats, there’s really no reason to give it to them in the first place.

The real value of the plant is found in different forms.

 

Can goats eat cumin seeds?

Yes, goats can eat cumin seeds.

As I said, though, they aren’t nutritionally very beneficial on their own.

Except in quantities that are probably unsafe for other reasons, they do not increase nutrient intake.

They are just helpful in improving overall digestibility of the rest of the diet.

So, yes, goats can eat cumin seeds as part of an otherwise balanced diet.

 

Can goats eat cumin plants?

Yes, your goats can eat the cumin plants, and this is perhaps where the most direct benefit is derived.

They will enjoy roaming around and eating it as forage and will most likely self-regulate in their own way.

They won’t eat too much of it but will move on to something else when they’re satisfied.

 

So, while it’s best to avoid giving them any kind of ground spices, there are certainly plenty of benefits to giving your goats cumin in other forms.

The seeds have been shown to help with nutrient digestibility, and the plant is another good form of forage if you’re lucky enough to have it growing on your property.

Just avoid giving them any spices out of your cupboard.

 

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