Can Goats Eat Lantana? (Find Out!)

The answer to this question is no, goats are not able to eat lantana. Lantana is very toxic to goats and can even result in death depending on the amount and type of lantana that your goat consumes. Lantana should, therefore, never be fed to your goat under any circumstance. If ingested, contact a vet immediately so that your goat can get checked out.

But why exactly is lantana dangerous for goats, how exactly do you tell If your goat has lantana poisoning, and what are some ways that you can treat lantana poisoning if your goat consumes lantana?

In this article we will explore all of these questions and more as we dive deeper into the topic of can goats eat lantana.

Let’s get into it!

Contents

What is lantana?

Lantana, also known as Lantana camara, is an ornamental shrub that is found in warmer climates and tropical locations for example Australia.

Lantana comes in three different colour variations including red, white, and pink.

While all variations are toxic to livestock, the red lantana variation is the most toxic and can result in the most negative effects for your goat.

Lantana is an invasive type of weed and is a threat to both the health and wellbeing of livestock as well as the overall biodiversity of pastures and grazing grounds.

Is lantana harmful to goats?

The answer to this question is yes, lantana can be extremely harmful to both goats and other types of livestock such as cattle.

Lantana poisoning usually occurs when animals that are unfamiliar with lantana are introduced into an area where lantana can be found.

It also occurs when livestock do not have sufficient food and resort to eating whatever is available, including lantana.

Goats, and livestock in general, will generally tend to avoid lantana unless there are no other options of food available, if the goat is undernourished, or if overgrazing occurs.

Lantana is harmful to goats because it contains various types of toxins.

These toxins include triterpene acids, lantadene A (rehmannic acid), lantadene B, and their various reduced forms.

Lantana poisoning is especially effective against and dangerous for young goats and, if consumed, is a lot likelier to become fatal compared to older or more mature goats.

How to tell if your goat has lantana poisoning

You can tell whether or not your goat has contracted lantana poisoning if they exhibit certain symptoms.

These symptoms vary based on certain factors, however.

The amount and type of lantana

The more lantana your goat consumes the more severe their symptoms will be.

The type of lantana they consume also plays a significant role in the intensity of their symptoms.

As mentioned above, there are three different variations of lantana with the red variation being the most toxic out of the three.

The intensity of your goat’s symptoms will vary based on the type of lantana they consume and the amount of it they consume.

Amount of sunlight exposure

One of the main ways to tell whether or not your goat has consumed lantana and is experiencing negative effects is to observe the way they are reacting to being in the sun.

Lantana poisoning results in livestock becoming sensitive to sunlight and this can make it easy to identify if poisoning has occurred.

Goats and livestock that are exposed to a great deal of sunlight will exhibit symptoms of lantana poisoning quicker than goats and livestock that spend a lot of time in doors or in the shade.

Symptoms of lantana poisoning

Symptoms of lantana poisoning can become apparent as soon as 24 hours after your goat consumes the lantana and death can occur as early as two -four days but typically takes about one – three weeks.

Symptoms include:

Excessive skin sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitisation)

Yellow discolouration (jaundice) of the whites of the eyes and gums

Discolouration of the skin of the nose and around the mouth

Loss of appetite

Difficulty breathing

Negative impacts of lantana for goats

Lantana poisoning can be very painful for goats and there are many negative effects that come along with consuming lantana.

These effects can be exacerbated depending on the type and quantity of lantana consumed.

Some of the negative effects include increased risk and occurrence of sunburn and heat strokes due to photosensitisation (increased sensitivity to sunlight).

Lantana poisoning also results in severe damage to the liver and kidney of any goat or livestock that consumes it.

Additionally, the consumption of lantana can negatively affect your goat’s reproductive system.

How to treat lantana poisoning in your goat

Lantana, as mentioned above, is extremely toxic and poisonous to goats and has many negative side effects that increase in intensity and severity depending on the amount and type of lantana consumed.

Because of this, if your goat consumes any amount of lantana, you should call your vet immediately and have them checked out.

If caught early, it is possible for your goat to survive but the later the symptoms are spotted the more likely it is for the condition to become fatal.

While it is recommended that you take your goat to a vet, there are some things that you can do at home to help treat lantana poisoning.

Some of these include:

Using sunscreens and antibiotics to treat skin damage and prevent further sunburn.

Using intravenous fluids and encouraging your goat to eat if it has lost its appetite.

Using activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is an excellent and effective tool to combat poison and is especially effective when used alongside other treatment methods.

How to prevent lantana poisoning

When it comes to lantana poisoning, prevention is definitely better than the cure.

While it is possible to treat your goat and for them to recover once they have consumed some amount of lantana, if it is not spotted early enough then it is less likely for them to survive.

It is better to avoid this entirely and you should instead focus your efforts on preventing the consumption of lantana and stopping your goats from ever getting it in the first place.

There are some simple things you can do to help prevent lantana poisoning.

Firstly, ensure that your property is completely lantana free.

Make sure that wherever you are keeping your goat and other livestock is free from lantana and other potentially toxic plants.

Secondly, that your goats have a sufficient amount of food and are not forced to eat potentially harmful plants.

Undernourishment is one of the main reasons that goats eat lantana despite avoiding it normally so is important to remain vigilant and ensure that your goats are well fed.

Thirdly, avoid putting young goats in areas that have lantana.

As mentioned above, young goats are much more susceptible to lantana poisoning and there is a higher possibility that it will become fatal, and they won’t survive.

Even if you are in the process of removing the lantana from your property it is still a good idea to keep your younger goats in a separate location until all of it has been cleared.

In conclusion, the answer to the question “can goats eat lantana” is no.

This is because lantana is highly toxic to goats, and other livestock, and can result in many negative effects for goats.

It is important to keep your goats away from lantana where possible and, if they happen to consume some amount of lantana, get them to a vet immediately to have them checked out.

It is important that your goats have a regular nutritious diet and is only fed things that are healthy for them.

Lantana, therefore, should never be fed to your goat under any circumstances if you want your goat to be healthy and live for a long time.