Can Goats Eat Okra?

Can Goats Eat Okra? (Answered!)

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Yes, goats can definitely eat okra. The plant is high in fiber, minerals, and vitamins, making it a very healthy addition to your goat’s diet. However, it also contains certain acids that you should be careful of. Oxalic acid, in high amounts, could be harmful to your goat, so it’s important to avoid feeding too much okra.

 

While goats can eat the okra fruit itself, be careful of okra plants.

Some okra varieties have spines or thorns.

All varieties at least have some form of tiny fuzz that can cause burning or itching.

Keep the plants themselves away from the goats.

The pods themselves are a different story, however.

If you end up with an okra overload, as sometimes happens during a good growth year, you can definitely feed the excess to your goat.

They may or may not like them, especially as they get tough, but they aren’t toxic and can be quite a healthy snack.

Can Goats Eat Okra?

 

Can goats eat okra stalks?

Okra is composed of the stem, the leaves, the flowers, the seeds, and the fruit.

The fruit is the portion we ourselves eat, the long okra capsule.

This is what your goat will most likely want to eat and what should generally be fed when we think of giving okra to our goats.

The flowers and leaves of the okra plant are also safe for goats to eat.

There are no toxic elements and the structure itself is not dangerous.

Okra roots are also safe for goats.

Okra stalks or stems are the parts of the plant that can be dangerous.

This is because they can be thorny and can cause mouth irritation or injury to your goat.

While these are not toxic and they will most likely simply avoid this part of the plant, it is best to avoid giving your goat access just in case.

 

Can too much okra be harmful to a goat?

Yes, too much okra can be harmful.

While there is no risk in consuming a non-excessive amount, too much okra or prolonged okra feeding can cause some issues.

The primary issue is okra’s acidity in the form of oxalic acid.

This is not an issue in small amounts, but if given over long periods of time could cause health problems for your goat.

Okra seeds also have gossypol, a substance that can be toxic if ingested in high quantities.

Again, it would be very, very challenging to give enough okra to your goat for gossypol to be an issue, but it is something to be aware of and is a reason to avoid feeding okra over a sustained period of time.

 

What do I need to know about okra and oxalates?

Oxalic acid is the primary acid in okra.

Amounts will depend on lots of factors, like season, ripening, part of the plant, etc.

However, it is good to be aware of oxalates because too much exposure could cause health problems for your goat.

Also note that oxalates are only an issue in raw okra.

If you cook okra and then feed the leftovers to your goats then the oxalic acid will have disappeared in the cooking process.

Feeding too much acid to your goat can cause acidosis, a problem that impacts the rumen of your goat.

This is usually a more minor issue that can be resolved with a change in diet.

However, if you do notice any major behavior or health changes in your goat, contact your vet immediately.

 

Is okra a healthy snack for my goat?

Yes! Despite the risks of overfeeding, okra is a very healthy snack that many goats love.

Okra has many important vitamins and minerals that would be beneficial to goats.

It also is high in fiber, making it an ideal vegetable to promote healthy digestion for your goat.

One other element to consider when feeding okra is whether it is homegrown or store-bought.

In both cases, consider washing the pods and leaves before giving them to your goat.

Especially in the case of store-bought okra, it is important to wash away any pesticides or chemicals that may have been sprayed on the plant, as these could be toxic or cause an allergic reaction.

 

Besides okra, what other garden scraps can my goat eat?

 Goats are herbivores, so they love picking at all the scraps and leftovers from our gardens.

Our goats love strawberries, greens, sunflower seeds, carrots, and pumpkins when we grow them.

Of course the primary food for a goat should be roughage like hay and pasture, so feed all garden scraps and table scraps in moderation.

I do tend to avoid other foods that are high in oxalates, like kale, rhubarb, and holly.

Again, we want to make sure that our goats do not have too much acid so that their digestion can stay healthy.

Plants that I never allow to grow because they are toxic for goats include some berry varieties, like elderberry, nightshade, Johnson grass, chokecherry, poppy, and ferns.

Many of these plants show up as weeds, so if you ever to give garden scraps to your goats make sure that none of these toxic plants are in your garden or orchard so they don’t accidentally make their way to your goats.

 

Okra is a great snack for goats, and it is a wonderful plant to grow for both goats and humans.

Feed okra in moderation and make sure that it is grown only with other non-toxic plants.

Your goats will love the chance to snack on such a high fiber, delicious vegetable!

 

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