Dec 11 2008
Non-Poisonous Weeds for Goats
The spring months may seem eons away, but having goats means that you need to be vigilant about the types of plants that grow in your pasture. The following weeds can be commonly growing in many pastures, including those that grow here in upstate, New York:
- Yarrow (mustard yellow)
- Thistle (Purple flowers)
- Plantain (wide, ovate green leaves with thick veins)
- Multiflora Rose (cream to white colored flowers)
- Nettle (green, serrated pointed leaves)
- Daisy (cream and white flowers)
- Dandelion (Yellow flowers)
- Chickory (pale blue flowers)
Photos of these can be found on the Internet - just Google for the plant name with the word “photo” afterwards.
None of the above mentioned plants will harm a goat, so if you come across these plants, and odds are you will, ignore them.
As a side note, try and keep two fenced in pastures for your goat herd and rotate them as needed. This will provide variety and allow the grass to recover after it has been chewed down to the nub!
~~Charlotte
SmallFarms4You.com
