Can Goats Eat Ragwort?

Can Goats Eat Ragwort? (Revealed!)

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While ragwort not as dangerous to goats as to other livestock animals, it is far from safe. Ragwort causes a number of problems for many animals, being slightly toxic. It is certainly best avoided entirely, but the fact is your goats will most likely know to avoid it, too.

 

So, while I am not saying you should throw caution to the wind, you shouldn’t be too worried if your goats have gotten into some ragwort, either.

They will most likely be able to tolerate a bit, and the result of eating it will probably warn them to stay away in the future.

If you notice ragwort on your goat’s pasture, you should move to get rid of it as soon as you can.

Let’s look further into this.

Can Goats Eat Ragwort?

What is ragwort?

The ragwort plant is an extremely common wildflower, which is native across all of northern Eurasia.

It tends to thrive in high, dry places and is considered an invasive species or weed in many parts of the world.

It certainly is highly invasive and can take over entire areas quite quickly if not kept in check.

In any case, they are extremely common and you will almost certainly have seen some in your life.

So, it’s a very common flowering plant, considered a weed.

Is it dangerous to your goats, then?

 

Is ragwort poisonous for goats?

Yes, is the simple answer.

It is not poisonous in the sense that your goat will eat a tiny bit and collapse.

In fact, as I said, what often happens if your goat will try a small amount, and realize it is not good for it.

Thereafter, it will mostly avoid it.

What very often happens, though, is that dried ragwort ends up in your goat’s hay without you or the goat realizing it.

Over time, the harmful effects build up, and this can have a detrimental effect on their health.

In any case, ragworts are certainly considered poisonous, and not just to goats.

Ragwort has been a huge problem for goat, sheep and particularly horse farmers for a very, very long time.

So, while you can for the most part know that your goats will avoid it, you’ve got to be very careful that it isn’t getting into their hay.

So, what exactly makes ragwort so dangerous?

Let’s talk chemistry.

 

Why is ragwort poisonous?

Ragwort contains high concentrations of a toxin called pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

What this mouthful essentially means is that, in sufficient quantities, they can cause liver damage and even total liver failure in goats and many other types of livestock.

It is what is known as a cumulative poison.

As I said, your goat will not just keel over if it eats a small amount of ragwort.

Instead, there will be a rapid onset of symptoms before sudden death after long exposure to these compounds.

Liver poisoning is one of the most common forms of poisoning, so you should really not downplay the potential dangers of ragwort.

While, as I said, most goats will know to avoid it, you shouldn’t assume this is the case.

 

Do goats eat ragwort?

This, perhaps, is the most important question.

Goats have an age-old reputation for eating pretty much anything.

They are voracious, and they will vacuum up any plants they can find while foraging.

While it is certainly true that they can eat most things, they do have some degree of self-control, too.

However, the fact is they really have to learn this as individuals.

In other words, the only way they’ll know to avoid eating ragwort is by eating it and suffering the consequences.

This depends on the individuals, too.

Some goats, trying something for the first time, will eat only a little—some will gorge themselves, presenting a potential problem.

So, just don’t take the risk—if you see ragwort where your goats can get it, have it removed.

 

Can goats die from ragwort?

They certainly can die from ragwort poisoning.

As I said, part of the problem is you would never know anything is wrong until it is too late.

The big issue is the ragwort accidentally getting into the diet through drying out in the hay.

If you suspect your goat has ingested ragwort, call a vet immediately.

 

So, the simple answer is no, ragwort is dangerous for your goat.

It is not, as I said, an instant-death toxin that you need to be hugely worried about.

It could very well be a problem if your goat eats some, and will certainly be a problem in the long term if they keep eating more.

If you have had any problems with ragwort, make sure to keep a sustained eye on whether there is any on your property.

Even though it is not massively dangerous and your goats will probably leave it alone, you should still take every precaution.

 

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