Can Goats Eat Olives? (Are They Safe?)

Yes, goats can eat olives. Olive by-products are commonly fed to livestock. That said, olives are probably not good as a staple of their diet—they should be fed in strict moderation, and you should make sure their diet is otherwise balanced. Olives can be a part of that.

So, olives are safe for goats, but you need to be careful about how many you let them eat. they’re very high in fat and salt content, so your goats only need a few before they’ve extracted all the benefits they need.

Let’s look further into this.

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Are olives good for goats?

Yes, in many ways they are.

Olives are, first of all, fairly rich in fiber.

Fiber should make up the bulk of a goat’s diet—in the form of hay or forage.

But they can always benefit from a little extra.

Fiber will help everything run smoothly through their gut, helping in general digestion of other foods.

The fat content, though bad in excess, can too be beneficial in moderation.

Oleic acid can decrease inflammation and even reduce the risk of heart disease for your goats.

They’re also very rich in Vitamin E.

This is a powerful antioxidant.

Antioxidants are vital for protection against the degradation of the body’s cells.

Free radicals form in the cells over time if there are not enough antioxidants in the diet, and these will damage cells.

They are also rich in many essential minerals. Iron helps the flow of oxygen through the body.

Copper, which goats need a great deal of, is also highly present in olives.

Calcium and sodium, too, are found in abundance and are very important for your goat’s diet.

So, in short, olives are incredibly nutrient-rich.

It’s for this very reason, however, that moderation is so important.

Your goat really only needs a small amount before it has all the benefits it needs.

Are olives bad for goats?

They certainly can be.

Despite the laundry list of benefits above, if you overfeed your goats on olives, then the effects are likely to be worse than if they had none.

Though the fat content in olives is healthy in some ways, in others, it is going to cause problems quickly if you overfeed them. It could lead to heightened cholesterol, and clogged arteries.

At most, you should feed your goats a small number of olives once or twice a week.

Swap them out for other treats in the rest of the week, to get them the best possible balance in their diet.

Inherently, though, olives are not bad for goats and as I’ve said, can be enormously beneficial in many ways.

Just be sure you don’t give them too much.

Are there any varieties that are unsafe?

Can goats eat black olives?

Yes, goats can eat black olives.

Black olives are slightly less fatty than green ones, but only because they tend to be a bit smaller.

The overall nutritional character is much the same, and everything I’ve said about moderation still applies.

It also depends whether they’re fresh or have been pickled in brine.

Briny olives are going to be a bit saltier, so be even more careful with those.

Can goats eat green olives?

Yes, green olives are also just fine.

As I’ve said, there isn’t a huge amount of difference between the two varieties.

Green olives are usually larger, and it is often the case that goats prefer green to black because they are a more attractive size.

However, most goats probably would not notice the difference.

The other question is concerning olive cores.

Can goats eat olive cores?

Yes, goats can eat olive cores without a problem.

If you’re concerned, it may be worth monitoring your goat closely while it eats the olives, if it is younger or the goats are smaller.

The choking hazard is small, but it is there—it’s worth taking into account if you have smaller goats.

But they can eat them without issue.

Can goats eat olive leaves?

Yes, goats can eat olive leaves with no issue.

The leaves are quite high in protein, so you may want to monitor how much they eat.

In general, though, goats won’t gorge themselves and they’ll know when to stop.

If you have an olive tree on the property, though, you may want to make regular trips to rake the leaves so they don’t eat too many of them.

Olives are a real polariser in the human world.

People tend to either love them or hate them.

However you feel about them, though, your goats are probably going to enjoy them—but that doesn’t mean throw caution to the wind!

Make sure you give them olives only in strict moderation, as part of a balanced diet, otherwise you will notice repercussions for their health.

Goats need treats, and olives are fairly healthy choices—but they’re not perfect!