So, goats can eat peanuts, but you should only ever see it as an occasional treat.
They need most of their diet to be accounted for with simple hay and/or forage, and peanuts are too nutrient-rich for them to eat a lot.
Let’s look further into this.
Are peanuts good for goats?
They certainly can be, if fed in the correct amounts.
Firstly, and most importantly, goats will almost certainly love eating peanuts.
Never underestimate the health benefits of a good treat that your goats really enjoy eating!
Beyond that, though, peanuts are packed with a lot of nutrition that your goat will appreciate.
For one thing, they are a good source of fiber.
Most of a goat’s diet should be made up of fiber, and they can really never get too much.
They are also rich in protein and fat.
Beyond that, they are a great source of many vitamins and minerals.
They contain vitamins like A, B and D, which are essential for a healthy goat.
They also contain Vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant.
Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals in the body’s cells, which can damage them over time.
They are also packed with many healthy minerals, like copper, folate, and manganese.
These serve a variety of functions in the body, from supporting a healthy immune system, to strengthening the blood and bones.
Copper in particular is really important for a healthy goat diet.
All this said, moderation is still incredibly important.
Are peanuts bad for goats?
Peanuts are not inherently bad for goats. In general, they are not toxic or dangerous, and will not do any harm if eaten in the right amounts.
That said, the right amount is really important.
Peanuts do contain aflatoxin so it is possible that they could be harmful to goats. Aflatoxins are a family of toxins that are found on food like peanuts as a result of certain molds being produced. The amount of aflatoxin in American peanuts is very low though so it’s unlikely that any harm would come to your goat.
As you’ve seen above, peanuts are incredibly nutritionally rich.
Given that most of what a goat eats is pure plant matter, like hay or forage, their digestive systems really aren’t equipped to handle that much complex carbohydrate.
Moderation is the key thing, then.
Peanuts should be seen only as an occasional treat, fed in small amounts every now and then.
Once or twice a week at most is plenty.
Swap them out with other treats throughout the rest of the week.
This guarantees maximum nutrition.
Now, let’s look at different kinds of peanuts.
Can goats eat salted peanuts?
No, goats should not eat salted peanuts.
Goats do need salt in their diets, but they should not be getting it in these concentrations.
It will be potentially quite harmful to them.
Salted peanuts in general are going to be highly processed, since they are prepared for humans.
In general, it’s best to avoid any such food.
Get them peanuts that are either not formulated at all, or that are formulated for goats and livestock in general.
Can goats eat roasted peanuts?
Roasted peanuts are certainly going to be a better option than salted peanuts.
That said, they really still aren’t going to be the best option.
As I said, anything that is prepared for human consumption stands a chance of having some ingredient that is going to be harmful to goats.
In any case, if you are giving them roasted peanuts, then moderation is even more important.
They will probably be fine with a handful or two, but any more than that and you are at risk of harming them.
Avoid roasted peanuts if you can—indeed, avoid store-bought peanuts altogether.
Can goats eat peanut shells?
Yes, goats can eat peanut shells.
Again, if you can find them with shells on that are not formulated for human consumption, then this is probably your best option.
The shells will make the snack a bit more interesting, and give the goat something extra to chew on.
That said, you should still remain vigilant about how much they get.
Peanuts with the shells on are going to be a deal more nutritious for goats, even though the shells are fairly nutritionally empty.
Keep an eye on how much you feed them—again, once or twice a week at most.
So, peanuts make a good treat for your goats.
It’s really important, though, that you don’t go overboard.
It can very quickly become a problem if you feed them too many.
It can cause bloating and discomfort in the short term, and excessive weight gain in the long term.
Though goats have a reputation for eating just about anything, their actual diets need to be pretty well regulated.
Plenty of hay and forage, with some occasional treats on top of that.
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