Help? Goats may have eaten some black locust

[mzgarden]

Our does may have eaten some black locust tree branch/leaves/flowers that came down into their pasture through a storm today. Fresh leaves/flowers (not wilted when we took them away) but everything I read say black locust is poisonous for livestock, especially horses.

Anybody have experience with goats and black locust? What should we be watching for and what should/can we do?

[mzgarden]

Thanks! poor DH is at home watching the goats while I'm at work. We'll keep an eye. FiasCoFarms puts black locust on the edible list so hopefully we're ok. yikes, if it's not one thing, it's another. Thanks for the quick response!

[mzgarden]

and now I've found this from Michigan DNR, (underlining is mine):

Grazing
In a North Carolina effort, browsing by a combination of
cattle and domestic goats effectively controlled the height
growth of black locust. After 4 seasons, all black locust were
dead. Since black locust can be toxic to cattle, caution is
advised. Black locust is raised specifically to feed domestic
goats in Pakistan and New Zealand, and they appear to be a
better choice for control

mnfi.anr.msu.edu/invasive-species/BlackLocustBCP.pdf

Boy, figuring out what's poisonous and not poisonous is a true challenge. 

[Deleted]

May 12, 2015 19:16:51 GMT mzgarden said:

and now I've found this from Michigan DNR, (underlining is mine):

Grazing
In a North Carolina effort, browsing by a combination of
cattle and domestic goats effectively controlled the height
growth of black locust. After 4 seasons, all black locust were
dead. Since black locust can be toxic to cattle, caution is
advised. Black locust is raised specifically to feed domestic
goats in Pakistan and New Zealand, and they appear to be a
better choice for control

mnfi.anr.msu.edu/invasive-species/BlackLocustBCP.pdf

Boy, figuring out what's poisonous and not poisonous is a true challenge. 

No it's not a challenge, the goats will figure it out for you. That's the bad news. Good news is, as someone else said, most times goats only eat a small portion of any one thing and then move on to something else. I have a lot of wild cherry on my place but only once has a goat gotten sick from it. She was foaming and weak, I poured baking soda down her and it cleared up quick. It's just part of having goats. They like to test us.

[mzgarden]

Hank, thanks. I suppose I'm looking for the easy information - eat this, don't eat this - which really doesn't work for goaties. Ah well, it's these experiences that continue to expand our understanding and connection to our goats. As newbies, this certainly keeps us paying attention, which is, in the end, really the best approach anyway. Onward and upward.

[Deleted]

When it comes to goats I think we all will always be newbies. They always come up with something new to challenge us. Sounds like you are doing fine with yours.

[manygoatsnmore]

I have always heard that goats are poisoned by rhodies and azaleas, but it didn't stop mine from pruning all the plants nearly to oblivion with no ill effects (to the goats, not to the plants or my blood pressure). They seem to be pretty tough critters when it comes to stuff like that. They were smart enough never to touch the foxglove that grew freely in their fields.

[Deleted]

The Poisonous Plants lists are often proven wrong by the goats.

The only thing I know FER SHURE that's poisonous is wilted cherry tree leaves.