Our homestead goats enjoy the various shrubs growing in their outdoor paddock with gusto, including the blueberries that fruit on a number of blueberry bushes in the summer.
Can goats eat blueberries?
Absolutely, blueberries are safe and nutritious fruits for goats. That’s right, your goat or herd of goats can benefit from the various minerals and vitamins in these small fruits.
However, never allow your goats to overindulge in blueberries, as they will suffer from an upset digestive system and may experience diarrhea due to the amount of sugar in these fruits.
Blueberries For Goats: Nutritional Information (from Healthline)
| Blueberry Nutritional Facts 100g | |
| Calories | 57 |
| Water | 84% |
| Fiber | 2.4g |
| Sugar | 10g |
| Protein | 0.7g |
Two characteristics to notice about blueberries are their fiber content and sugar content.
As ruminants, a goat’s natural digestive process involves fermentation. This is why goats can digest fibrous carbohydrates that other animals cannot and why ingesting too many sugars can result in gut bacterial and microbe imbalances and further digestive issues.
On the other hand, don’t worry about the low protein quality of blueberries, as ruminant animals, goats excel at harvesting protein from low-quality foodstuff and do not usually lack protein content if eating a balanced diet.
In addition, blueberries are filled with natural antioxidants thanks to the anthocyanins and other secondary plant compounds that they contain.
Anthocyanins and quercetin (among others) provide unique health benefits by reducing oxidative stress that can result in weak immune systems, stunted growth, and poor milk and meat quality in your herd.
Finally, blueberries also offer the following vitamins and minerals:
- Manganese
- Vitamin K
- Calcium
- Vitamin A
- Potassium
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
Are Blueberries Safe For Goats To Eat
Without doubt, blueberries are sweet, nutritious treats for your goats and can be eaten without worry.
The only threat that blueberries pose to the health and wellbeing of your homestead herd is if they are eaten in excess.
Too many blueberries will lead to digestive issues and even diarrhea in your goats.
To avoid this, never allow blueberries to take the place of a balanced diet of browsed forbs and grasses.
Can Goats Have Blueberries Every day
Technically yes, goats can eat some blueberries every day.
We recommend allowing your goats to freely browse any wild or planted blueberries found in their outdoor spaces, as the limited fruit production of the blueberry plant will naturally limit the amount of fruits your goats can eat at any one time.
And if you are offering your goats garden or store-bought blueberries, we recommend limiting them to one or two handfuls of blueberries per day.
Can Goats Eat Blueberry Bushes
Yes, blueberry bushes are 100% safe for goats to browse and nibble.
You do not have to remove or limit your herd’s access to blueberry bushes.
Can Baby Goats Eat Blueberries
Yes, any goat that is either fully weaned or mostly weaned can eat blueberries in moderation without issues.
We define mostly weaned as receiving more than two thirds of its daily nutrition from foodstuffs other than mother’s milk.
How To Prepare Blueberries For Goats
If you plan to offer your herd blueberries as a sweet, nutritional treat and have sourced the berries from the grocery store, be aware that the berries may carry residual dirt or pesticides.
Always wash and examine store-bought blueberries before offering them to your goats. Offer only clean and plump berries to your four-legged friends.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Can Goats Eat Blueberries
Can Goats Eat Cooked Blueberries?
No, we NEVER recommend offering your goats cooked or otherwise heated blueberries as they usually contain even more sugars than fresh raw berries, have altered chemical compositions and nutritional value due to being heated, and can result in serious stomach upsets.
Goats don’t eat cooked food items because they are natural foragers, and just because they have a reputation for stomaching a lot doesn’t mean all forms of food support their health and wellbeing.
Can Goats Get Sick From Blueberries?
Yes, if your goats gorge themselves on blueberries they can experience severe stomach upset, diarrhea and/or loss of appetite.
This is why the best practice when it comes to offering goats sweet treats like blueberries is to err on the side of caution and practice moderation.
Final Thoughts On Can Goats Have Blueberries
Blueberries are great natural fruits that are safe for your goat herd to enjoy.
They offer essential nutrients and powerful antioxidants along with some sugars that can boost your goats’ health while making them very happy.
Just remember to offer these sweet fruits in moderation to your herd in order to avoid digestive discomfort, blockages, or more serious issues.
And remember, goats can eat blueberry bushes. Blueberry bushes are not harmful to goats.
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