Absolutely – goats can eat strawberries! Strawberries are completely safe fruits for goats to nibble on and enjoy. In fact, strawberries are sure to satisfy even the pickiest of goats thanks to their sweet flavor, juicy nature, and nutritional punch.
Strawberries For Goat: A Favorite Treat
Strawberries are the delicious fruits of the strawberry plant within the Fragaria genus of the Rose family.
Yes, that means strawberries are related to apples, peaches and plums!
Both wild and farm grown strawberries are safe to offer your nannies and billy’s, and both contain about 90% water per 100g serving as well as:
- 4.86 g of sugar
- 5 different organic acids
- Vitamin C
- Small quantities of essential minerals
4 Benefits Of Strawberries For Goats
Snacking on strawberries is not only tasty for goats, it’s also healthy, as these red fruits offer some unique health benefits.
- The high water content of strawberries can help goats’ urinary tract remain unblocked and functioning, especially as they are prone to UTI’s due to their short urethra.
- Strawberries are naturally rich in folate, which is involved in protein synthesis and milk production.
- Strawberries, in small amounts, are easy to digest for goats and can therefore help them transition between winter and spring/summer diet if they seem to have indigestion.
- These red fruits also offer highly active polyphenol antioxidants that strengthen bodily systems, act as anti-inflammatories, and defend against a host of diseases.
However, it is important to note that while many quick articles addressing wether goats can eat strawberries list fiber as a beneficial component of strawberries, these fruits actually do NOT contain high amounts of fiber ( just about 2g per 100g serving) which makes strawberries a poor source of fiber for goats.
In addition, although strawberries do offer Vitamin C, goats have the GULO gene and can therefore synthesize this vitamin within their rumen. Goats do not actually need any dietary vitamin C!
In fact, too many strawberries is more likely to cause bloating, diarrhea and bad eating habits in your goats due to their higher sugar and low fiber content.
Never forget that an adult goat requires up to 80% of its diet to be in dense, fibrous plant materials such as hay and foraged foodstuff.
Through our experience, the best way to keep your goats healthy and happy is to:
- Give them unlimited access to hay.
- Provide them with a rotating pasture where they can forage.
- Keep grains in their diets down to a minimum.
- Supplement their diet and reward them with a few handfuls of yummy fruits and treats throughout the week.
What Should You Not Feed Goats
In general, any grain heavy or processed food is not ideal for goats.
Think about their needs: they are natural foragers that require high fibers and must maintain a healthy bacterial balance within their rumen. This is why your goats search out grasses, hay, shrubs, leaves, twigs, berries, buds, and flowers.
Goats’ digestive systems are fine tuned for processing this raw plant material and you’ll find that they are quick to get sick if sugary, grain heavy, fatty, or otherwise cooked foods are offered to them.
What Fruits Can Goats Not Eat?
While strawberries are a-okay for goats, there are a few fruits that you’ll want to avoid:
- Avocados contain a toxin that can kill goats even in small amounts.
- Onions are also toxic to goats and must be avoided!
- Unripe pineapple can really harm your goat, although ripe pineapple is goat-safe.
- The pits of peaches and plums contain poison that can harm your goats if they are allowed to gnaw or swallow them.
Learn more about these toxic fruits by looking them up in our site search bar!
Our Best Practices: Offering Strawberries To Goats
Alright, if you want to offer your goats strawberries but have never done it before, here are some best practices to follow:
- Wash the strawberries first. This removes residual dust, dirt, insects, and pesticides.
- Pick out any overripe or moldy strawberries. Goats are picky eaters and won’t usually eat them anyway but accidentally ingesting one may cause unwanted stomach bacterial upsets.
- Don’t worry about picking the green heads off, those are fine for goats to eat and can be left on.
- Gather a handful or so in a feed bucket or spread them out on the grass and allow your goats to find and enjoy them.
- Remove any leftover berries after a few hours as they rot quickly and can attract unwanted pests.
Can Goats Eat Strawberry Plants and Leaves?
Good question: yes, all parts of the strawberry plant can be eaten by goats without cause for alarm.
However, if the strawberry plant is treated with pesticides it is best to prohibit your herd from eating both the plant itself and the strawberry fruit it produces.
Any plant sprayed with pesticide will carry those same chemicals into its fruit. Such chemicals can greatly harm your goat’s rumen bacterias and digestive system in general.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Can Goats Have Strawberries
Can Goats Eat Bananas?
Bananas and strawberry is a favorite mixture of mine and it is one that can also be offered to your herd of goats!
However, bananas contain many more sugars than strawberries per serving: a whopping 15.8 grams!
Can Goats Eat Kiwi?
Yes, goats can also enjoy kiwi fruits. These asian fruits offer lots of water and about double the amount of sugar as strawberries. As such, be sure to offer your herd kiwi in limited quantities.
As natural forager, goats can come in handy when you want to clear land a bit of any edible fruit bush, as these goats are doing with these blackberry bushes in Oregon!
Final Thoughts On Can Goats Eat Strawberries
Alongside blueberries, another popular fruit for goats, strawberries are sure to please your trip of goats and get them excited to see you!
Just remember to opt for measured amounts of, if possible, pesticide free plants and fruits.
Alongside unlimited hay and an open pasture, your goats will benefit the most from this thoughtful addition to their diet.