Bananas are a favorite morning and snack fruit of our family, and here on our hobby farm they are also a favorite fruit of our goats.
Yes, goats can eat bananas. Research indicates that goats benefit from the starch and malic acid in bananas. All of our goats enjoy this fruit, so we want to share with you the many benefits of offering this yellow tropical fruit to your herd!
Can Goats Have Bananas
As browsers, goats are naturally curious animals.
They explore the world like young kids do: tasting and trying many things to test the texture, substance and, of course, edibility.
Their instincts usually help them out when it comes to determining what is edible and what can be handled by the various bacterium in their first stomach, or rumen.
And one interesting and easily digestible food for goats, when eaten in moderation, is the banana!
Banana For Goats: Nutrition
Bananas are tropical plants and have been selectively bred to produce large, recognizable yellow fruits.
These yellow fruits are soft, mushy and offer the following nutrients:
- Potassium
- Vitamin C
- Starches
- Malic Acid
Bananas are well known for containing lots of potassium, about 326 mg per 100g serving.
However, this doesn’t do goats much good as these ruminants are able to source a lot of their dietary potassium needs from their foraging. Moreover, although bananas also contain vitamin C, goats can actually produce their own vitamin C.
Bananas also contain about 15.8g of sugars, which is more than many other fruits.
While it might seem that bananas can’t offer much as far as nutrition to goats, starch rich diets support milk production in dairy goats and researchers have found that supplemental malic acid assists in maintaining a healthy rumen pH in sheep!
These findings suggest that your goats can benefit from both the starch and malic acid available in bananas.
Overall, due to the moderate amount of nutrients available and high sugars, we suggest offering bananas to your herd as a treat…or as a way to ensure ornery goats gobble down any vet prescribed oral medication!
Offering Your Goat Herd Bananas
When offering your goats bananas you may wonder which way of preparing the fruit is safest and what parts must be removed beforehand.
No worries, we’ve got all the answers below!
Giving Goats Banana
When offering goats bananas, it is best to cut the fruit into thick slices beforehand.
This reduces the risk of choking or gobbling down too big of a mouthful for enthusiastic nannies or bucks.
Can Goats Eat Banana Peels
Yes, goats can eat the peel of the banana right along with the soft flesh.
But don’t worry if your goat won’t eat banana peels. Our own herd is split evenly, half of them love to eat the crunchy, fibrous peels while the others keep to the soft fruit.
Just be sure to wash the banana before peeling it and offering the peel to your goats, as this will remove any unwanted dirt, grime, and residues.
Can Goats Eat Banana Chips
We do NOT recommend offering your goats banana chips.
While they will probably enjoy the crunchy and sweet chips, we like to stay away from cooked foods as they are not natural for goats and can easily upset their complex gastrointestinal tract.
Goats can live for years, and we like to keep ours happy and healthy!
Can Goats Have Banana Leaves
Yes, if you live in an area where banana trees grow, you will probably notice your goats nibbling the large green leaves of growing banana trees.
This is okay, as the leaves are a great addition to your goats naturally foraged 100% plant diet.
Can Goats Eat Banana Plants
Yes, a goat can and will eat a small banana plant if they get the opportunity.
For this reason, if you live in a tropical area and are trying to grow bananas, you will want to make sure to exclude your goats from where the bananas are growing!
Can Baby Goats Have Bananas
Yes, any goat that is fully weaned or that is foraging for at least ⅔ of its diet can enjoy bananas as treats.
Remember, never allow bananas or other sugary foods to replace the high cellulose and high fiber roughage a goats’ metabolism depends upon.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Can Goats Eat Bananas
Can Goats Eat Plantain?
Yes, goats can eat plantain, the starchy cousin of common bananas.
In fact, plantain peels are an economical and healthy carbohydrate source for goats.
Can Goats Eat Bread?
A goats’ digestive system can technically digest bread if offered in very low quantities. But we have chosen not to offer this baked food item to our goats, especially not sweet banana bread!
Final Thoughts On Can Goats Have Bananas
Bananas are sweet and safe treats for goats, so feel free to offer your herd these yellow fruits in moderation.
Remember, each goat is individual and not all will like the soft fruit or its tough peel.
And if you are wondering about other great fruit for your goats, check out our post about feeding your goats blueberries!