First of all I should say that I haven’t included many plants that you will find in your garden, this is because pretty much EVERY ornamental flower, bush or tree is considered unsafe for goats to eat. You will need to remove anything next to their enclosure so that they can’t accidentally eat it. 

*IF your goats eat anything that is toxic you should drench them with a mixture of water and activated charcoal and call your vet*

It’s worth noting that not all toxic plants have an immediate effect. Some work slowly but surely causing damage to the kidneys, liver, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, reproductive and immune systems (depending on what they’ve ingested) By the time any effects show themselves you’ll not know what caused it and it will most likely be untreatable. While it’s almost impossible to avoid some things, we should always do our best to avoid known toxins because it’s better to be safe than sorry.

 

Even those on the safe list should be fed in moderation, consuming too much of any single thing will increase any risk. If, like me, you cut browse for them it is important not to feed anything that is wilted or showing signs of disease.

It is advisable to feed a range of browse so your goat is getting a variety of vitamins and minerals to meet their needs.

 

SAFE

 

Apple (all parts including the apples but with pips removed)

Ash

Aspen

Bamboo

Beech (but not beech nuts)

Bindweed

Birch

Blackthorn (sloe) not the berries or spikes

Borage

Brambles

Calendula (better than marigolds)

Chamomile

Chickweed

Cleavers (goose grass, sticky weed)

Conifers (but only in small quantities)

Cow parsley

Crab apple ( all parts are safe but not too many apples and remove pips)

Cranesbill

Daisy

Dandelion

Dock (not curly) in moderation 

Elm

Fat hen

Forsythia

Ground elder

Guelder rose

Hazel, not the nuts.

Hawkweed

Hawthorn

Himalayan balsam

Hoary cress

Hornbeam

Japanese knotweed

Larch (in small quantities)

Maple (field not red)

Marigolds (safe but probably won’t like them)

Mugwort

Nettles (some goats like them dried)

Oregano

Pear tree leaves

Pineapple weed

Plantain (the weed)

Poplar (black and white)

Quince (all parts including the fruit but remove the pips)

Ribwort plantain 

Rose

Rosemary

Rye grass

Salsify

Sow thistle

Spruce (untreated)

Thistle

Thyme

Whitebeam

Wild rhubarb (common burdock)

Willow

 

WHAT I CALL "THE IFFY LIST"

 

Plants in this section are generally considered safe (there are differing opinions on this or not much is known) but may cause reactions in some animals. I, personally, avoid them.

 

Alder 

Bay Laurel

Bracken

Clover (all kinds)

Giant hogs weed (this is highly toxic to other animals and humans)

Groundsel 

Heal all/self heal 

Ivy

Juniper

Pine

Rowan

Sorrel

Spurge

Wayfaring

Wild garlic

 

NOT SAFE

Alkanet

Arrow grass

Azalea

Bay

Box hedge

Buckthorn

Buttercup

Cedar

Celandine

Cherry trees

Chestnut trees

Cowslip

Cuckoo pint

Curly dock

Cypress

Dogwood (common and red)

Elder (inc berries)

Eucalyptus (although large quantities would have to be consumed)

Grape vines

Ground ivy (creeping Charlie)

Hemlock

Holly

Horse chestnut

Hydrangeas

Kalmia

Laburnum

Laurel

Lavender 

Lime tree

Monkey Puzzle 

Oak

Periwinkle

Pieris Japonica

Pine

Plum (leaves, branches and bark)

Poppy

Ragwort

Red maple

Rhododenron

Rhubarb

Rosebay willowherb

Sorghum

Sumac

Sycamore

Toadflax

St John’s wort

Walnut (trees, leaves and nuts)

Wild radish

Yarrow

Yew