Can Goats Eat Mistletoe?

Can Goats Eat Mistletoe? (Is It Safe?)

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While there is no definitive proof that mistletoe is specifically toxic to goats, and some have been known to eat it without issue, the fact remains the berries are inherently poisonous. My advice would be not to take the chance, and to keep your goats far away from mistletoe.

 

Ultimately, at the moment, the choice is really yours.

As I say, there is a paucity of information on the particular pharmacological relationship between goats and mistletoe.

There is much anecdotal evidence to suggest it is fine.

The toxicology of a mistletoe berry is not to be trifled with, though.

Until we know more, my advice would be not to give your goats access to mistletoe.

Can Goats Eat Mistletoe?

 

Is mistletoe good for goats?

Well, let’s answer this question generously to begin with.

There are some factors in a mistletoe plant that may have some level of benefit.

For one thing, when goats get into mistletoe it is usually as it is growing on their pasture.

This kind of foraging is really great, both for their diets and for enrichment.

So, mistletoe can be good forage in that sense.

Furthermore, mistletoe is going to be made up mostly of fiber.

The leaves, the berries, and to an extent the branches will all be rich in fiber.

Fiber is the backbone of your goat’s diet, and should make up around 75% of what it eats.

Extra in the form of foraged plants is always welcome.

Finally, many also report that their goats love eating mistletoe—or at least they did on the one occasion they got some.

Don’t underestimate the health benefits of your goat getting something they really love eating.

All of this, though, is really quite basic nutritional benefits that your goats could get from virtually any plant matter.

Fruit, vegetables, non-poisonous bushes—all are going to be rich in fiber, and more benefits to boot.

So, let’s look at the potential harm of eating mistletoe.

 

Is mistletoe bad for goats?

As I mentioned earlier, one of the problems of mistletoe and goats is the fact that there is not a huge amount of information available on the direct relationship.

Few or no studies have been done into the toxicology of mistletoe on goats.

Nonetheless, the fact remains the berries are inherently poisonous to a wide variety of animals, some not all that distantly related to goats.

While you might have to eat a few to die, even a small amount could cause lasting damage.

For me, this is all the reason I need to avoid them even for goats.

There’s a potentially huge risk factor, and very little benefit or advantage to them eating mistletoe.

Anything in mistletoe that’s of any benefit will also be found in other, non-poisonous plants.

Give your goats fruit and vegetables, and a large pasture to roam filled with a variety of plants and flowers.

They won’t miss mistletoe if their regular menu is wide enough.

 

Can goats eat mistletoe leaves?

The leaves are certainly safer than certain other parts of the plant, and are generally not considered toxic in and of themselves.

They are perhaps the most fibrous part of the plant, and in some ways the most attractive to goats.

That said, if it is coming right off a branch, then your goat has little chance of eating the leaves and missing the berries.

If they’re going for the leaves, they’re not going to carefully eat around the berries.

 

Can goats eat mistletoe branches?

They can, and, again, there’s not very much in the branches themselves that is poisonous.

Branches are often quite attractive to goats, and you may well have no issue feeding mistletoe branches to your goats.

As above, though, the fact is that where there are branches, there will be poisonous berries close by.

You can’t trust your goat to eat the branches and leave the berries, so for my money, it’s best left alone.

 

Can goats eat mistletoe berries?

If there was one part of the plant to avoid, it’s the berries.

While, again, no specific data has been collected to determine the toxicity of mistletoe berries for goats, the fact is that they are poisonous to many animals.

The berries are the poisonous part, so if any of it is going to harm your goat it is the berries.

Again, though, since there is no data and much anecdotal evidence, you may make your own decision.

My advice, though, is that the risks far, far outweigh the benefits.

 

Mistletoe, simply put, is just too great an unknown.

While there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence that they can eat the berries no problem, for me, the risks far outweigh the potential benefits.

There’s nothing in any part of a mistletoe branch that you can’t get from something with no possibility of being poisonous.

Even if it turned out there was nothing to worry about from goats eating mistletoe, it would still ultimately be the smart move to avoid it until we know for sure.

 

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