Can Goats Eat Dates? (Answered!)

Firstly, to answer the question, yes, Goats can eat Dates. They are very nutritious and have a lot of health benefits for them. But, just like a lot of other fruits they are especially high in sugar, meaning that they should be consumed in moderation.

This article will give you further insight in regard to Goats and their diets.

It will also look at whether or not it is okay for baby Goats to eat foods such as Dates, the different types of Dates, the nutritional benefits that they have for Goats and so much more.

So, let us get right into it!

Can Goats Eat Dates?

Contents

Are dates healthy for goats?

Dates are a fruit that have great nutritional benefits not only for us humans but they also have so many nutritional benefits to Goats too.

This is because they contain nutrients such as fiber, Protein, Potassium, Copper, Iron and Vitamin B6. These nutrients are all very essential things to include in a Goats diet.

Fiber

Fiber is an especially important addition to a Goats diet.

This is because fiber is something that helps to keep the digestive system healthy and working properly.

It does this by maintaining your Goats bowel health, and this in turn ensures that their stool is healthy and soft.

So why is this important, you may ask. If the stool is kept healthy and soft it makes it a lot easier for your Goat to pass it.

This then avoids any discomfort and pain that your Goat may experience should it be hard for them to pass.

Protein

Protein is a great addition to your Goats diet.

Protein is made up of a chemical that is called an amino acid.

This is something that is used as an energy source, so it is important for your Goat to have included in their diet.

Not only is it a great source of energy it also helps to repair their muscles and their bones.

Potassium

Like most fruits, Dates contain Potassium, and this is an especially great thing to be included in a Goats diet; simply because it has a lot of benefits for them.

The main one being that it helps to regulate the fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals in their bodies.

A high Potassium diet can also be incredibly beneficial to your Goat, because it can help to regulate their blood pressure and water retention.

Copper

Like many other nutrients, Copper is an essential nutrient.

This is because this paired with Iron, the body is then able to form red blood cells.

Not only does it aid in that, but Copper also helps to maintain healthy bones, blood vessels, nerves, immune function, and it also contributes to iron absorption.

Including Copper in your Goats diet can be incredibly beneficial for them.

Iron

As previously stated, Iron is incredibly important for your Goat.

It is a very important factor when the body is producing red blood cells.

A lack of Iron in your Goats diet can lead to something such as iron deficiency anaemia.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin, and it has many important jobs within the body.

Vitamin B6, is known to improve brains functions and can prevent clogged arteries, which can also minimize the risk of heart disease.

This vitamin can also help to keep the eyes healthy and reduce the chance of eye diseases and vision loss.

What are the different types of dates?

There are a lot of different types of Dates, but here are the two most popular types:

Medjool Dates, are large and have wrinkled skin. These Dates are also typically softer and sweeter than other Dates, they have a taste that is king of the perfect mixture of caramel, honey, and cinnamon.

Deglet Noor Dates, are the more popular types of Dates, they’re typically the ones that you will find in your local grocery store. This kind of Date is a lot chewier, drier and is typically a bit smaller than the other kinds of Dates.

Can goats eat the dates pits?

Dates pits are perfectly okay for your Goat to consume, and in fact they are actually very nutritious for them.

Goats typically really enjoy foods that have great nutritional benefits for them.

The answer to can goats eat the dates pits is yes. You probably should feed the Dates pit to your Goat.

However, because they are small, they can cause them to choke, so if/when you do feed them to your Goat, you may want to keep an eye on them to ensure that they do not choke on them.

Can Goats eat date palm leaves?

Goats are known as ‘browsers’ because they love to eat things that are readily and easily accessible to them, such as leaves.

To answer this question, yes, goats can eat date palm leaves.

In fact, they seem to like things such as date palm leaves so much that in the wild, they will actually climb the trees just to reach them.

So, you absolutely should feed them to your Goat because they will love it.

Can baby goats eat dates?

Baby Goats have a significantly different diet to adult Goats.

This is because when they are young their digestive systems are not that strong, and it is quite difficult for them to actually consume foods such as Dates.

Therefore, for at least the first thirty days of their life, they will feed off of their mother’s milk, and their mother’s milk only.

Not only is this very nutritional for them, it also gives their digestive system time to strengthen up. Once they reach thirty days old, this is when they usually begin to wean off of their mother’s milk.

This is also around the time that you can begin to introduce other things into their diet. However, it is important that when you do begin to introduce you start with simple foods that are catered specifically towards Goats, such as hay.

This will help to strengthen their digestive system further, so that you can begin to introduce other treats such as Dates, but it is important to only feed them small amounts of food like Dates, and they should only be given as a rare treat.