As with almost anything that’s safe, then, the answer is that they can eat it, but you need to be careful of the quantities.
Too much of anything is going to be bad for them.
Swap pistachios out for other treats the rest of the time to give them the best balance.
Let’s look further into this.
Are pistachios good for goats?
Yes, they are, in many ways!
For one thing, and perhaps most importantly, your goats will almost certainly love them.
Never underestimate the value of a treat that your goats love.
It will be great for their health to get treats that they enjoy.
But there are many specific health benefits to eating pistachios, too.
Firstly, they are a great source of fiber.
Fiber is the backbone of a goat’s diet, and though it should be getting most of it from its hay or forage, they can really never have too much.
Pistachios are also a great a source of protein.
Protein is essential for the health of muscles and bones, as well as giving them the energy they need to do things.
They’re also a great source of many vitamins.
They are rich in vitamin B6, which is important for the regulation of red blood cells and the formation of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen through the body.
They are, finally, a great source of many essential minerals, like copper.
Copper deficiency is a very common problem for goats, so it’s great to give them a snack that is rich in copper.
But pistachios are also a great source of potassium, phosphorous and manganese.
This all sounds great, of course—but there are caveats.
Are pistachios bad for goats?
No, pistachios are not inherently bad for goats.
They are not toxic or dangerous, and your goat will be fine eating them.
As you’ve seen above, though, pistachios are highly nutrient-rich.
This means that while great in small amounts, they only need small amounts before they are getting excess nutrients.
Around 75% of a goat’s diet should be simple hay or forage.
Give them treats on top of that, in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as things like nuts.
At most, give them a small number of pistachios once or twice a week.
Be sure to swap these out with other treats during the rest of the week.
This will give them the best balance possible, providing for all of their nutritional needs.
As I said, copper deficiencies are very common in goats, but there are other nutrient deficiencies that they may suffer from if they eat too many pistachios.
This could cause them to miss out on other important parts of their diet.
There is more than one variety of pistachio, though, so let’s look into whether other types are safe, too.
Can goats eat pistachio shells?
They likely can, but I would still advise deshelling the pistachios first.
The shells are hard, sharp, difficult to chew, and nutritionally void, essentially.
Your goat would probably not have much problem with them, but there’s always the chance they could injure themselves with a sharp piece of shell.
It may sound like a tedious process, but you are best off deshelling the pistachios before feeding them to your goat.
Can goats eat jumbo pistachios?
The most commonly consumed pistachios today come from Iran.
There are two other common varieties that are bred from the original: the first are the jumbo variety.
These are essentially the same as the ordinary Iranian pistachio except, you guessed it, much larger.
These are fine for goats, too, but the issue of moderation is even more important here.
They can be quite a lot bigger, and this obviously translates to a higher amount of nutritional content.
So, yes, they can, but in even stricter moderation.
Can goats eat long pistachios?
You also have long pistachios, again bred from the original Iranian variety.
As the name suggests, again, they are largely the same, except they are longer.
These too are perfectly safe for goats, with all the same caveats about moderation in mind.
Pistachios can be a great and healthy treat for your goats, then.
They will love eating any kind of pistachio, though you should probably deshell them first.
As I said, though, it’s really important that you’re providing the necessary balance for your goat’s diet.
Too many of any one thing, including healthy pistachios, will be problematic for your goats.
Don’t let them overeat on pistachios, and make sure they are getting all the nutrition they need in the rest of their diet.
More in Protein
- Can Goats Eat Acorns?
- Can Goats Eat Almonds?
- Can Goats Eat Bacon?
- Can Goats Eat Brazil Nuts?
- Can Goats Eat Cashews?
- Can Goats Eat Eggs?
- Can Goats Eat Fish?
- Can Goats Eat Hazelnuts?
- Can Goats Eat Macadamia Nuts?
- Can Goats Eat Meat?
- Can Goats Eat Peanut Butter?
- Can Goats Eat Peanuts?
- Can Goats Eat Pecans?
- Can Goats Eat Pistachios?
- Can Goats Eat Walnuts?