Soybeans?

[Elyse Nicholson]

As I posted in my blog recently, the goats are grazing near a green soybean field. Well, recently the goats have been getting closer and closer to the soybean field. I saw them over by the field today, but can't be sure if they ate any.

 

My question is, if they did eat some, is that ok? Can they eat soybeans? They were fine when they went in today, but I did notice a few coughing. Anything?

[Melissa Johnson]

It never ceases to amaze me. I look at the Nigerian's in Africa and I dont think they get much as a whole. LOL.

I told someone at the feed store - if all you read is true, I cant see how a goat could live out the week. The barn and goat shed is in the middle of a bunch of white oaks - (please Lord, let them stay standing) and the goats eat the leaves like it is the most cherished food stuff. They do eat the acorns which I do try to limit. The vet said no green acorns because of tannin. I never realized how delicate the ruminate process is though. Glad to know your first goat has skirted all the booger bears :)

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

LOL! I know you can drive yourself crazy with all the stuff that's written out there. I think problems can be very localized, so if you write about everything that could possibly happen, it can be overwhelming. The only thing that we've ever found to be a problem here is copper deficiency (because of the sulfur in our well water), and you might have seen me comment on other threads that my goats eat tons of oak leaves (Antiquity Oaks is my farm) and other plants listed as poisonous to goats. Everything is not as right/wrong as the books would have us believe.

We lived in Bremerton, WA, for a couple years when my husband was in the Navy, so I know what you mean about it being wet out there. We get a ridiculous amount of rain here in the spring though, so I don't think you're much worse off than us that time of year. I've never worried about wet grass, and in eight years, it's never been a problem. I still have my first goat, and she is almost 12 years old and still kicking.



Melissa Johnson said:

thanks Deborah - I was beginning to wonder what they can eat safely!! I have also heard that wet grass is also a big no no for goats. Living in the PNW that is virtually impossible! I dont let them out of their fenced in areas until the afternoon - providing we are in our dry "months" - (

[Melissa Johnson]

thanks Deborah - I was beginning to wonder what they can eat safely!! I have also heard that wet grass is also a big no no for goats. Living in the PNW that is virtually impossible! I dont let them out of their fenced in areas until the afternoon - providing we are in our dry "months" - (



PlayRite Farm said:

In the spring on fresh grass they can get Clostridium (sp) if you don't give annual boosters, it is advised to put them on fresh green paster for only short periods of time to begin with to allow the rumman to get used to it..also in the early spring is when the worms are out and on top of the grasses..so be ready to follow up with a worming program soon after starting on a fresh pasture



Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

If goats stuff themselves on any grain, they'll get bloat.

Foundering happens with horses, not goats. The only thing I've ever heard with spring grass is that some goats might start to poop like a dog (rather than berries) when they start eating it, but it's never been an issue here. Perhaps it depends on the type of grass? Ordinarily, goats can eat as much fresh grass as they want, and it's not a problem.


Melissa Johnson said:

Is the bloating problem because they are green? I was going to get some clover seed and throw out in the field - but the more I researched that on the net - it kept mentioning the fact that you have to be careful because of the tendency to cause bloat. I do actually have quite a bit of white clover in the lawn grass that they browse around in, and wouldnt you know, they dont even touch the clover. I decided to save my dollars on that.

Oh, actually what was on my mind was fresh grass. We have had a little rain and the field has greened up again. I have been taking the goats out for bout an hour to hour and half to browse around. They have been eating the fresh grass. Is it still as much of a problem with foundering this time of year as in the spring on the fresh grass?
(hope foundering is correct - I kept saying to people "floundering" and a lady laughed and said ' Melissa, not the fish "floundering" but "foundering" . We had a good laugh. That's ok, I am still interested enough to look like a fool - it's all good ^^

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

If goats stuff themselves on any grain, they'll get bloat.

Foundering happens with horses, not goats. The only thing I've ever heard with spring grass is that some goats might start to poop like a dog (rather than berries) when they start eating it, but it's never been an issue here. Perhaps it depends on the type of grass? Ordinarily, goats can eat as much fresh grass as they want, and it's not a problem.


Melissa Johnson said:

Is the bloating problem because they are green? I was going to get some clover seed and throw out in the field - but the more I researched that on the net - it kept mentioning the fact that you have to be careful because of the tendency to cause bloat. I do actually have quite a bit of white clover in the lawn grass that they browse around in, and wouldnt you know, they dont even touch the clover. I decided to save my dollars on that.

Oh, actually what was on my mind was fresh grass. We have had a little rain and the field has greened up again. I have been taking the goats out for bout an hour to hour and half to browse around. They have been eating the fresh grass. Is it still as much of a problem with foundering this time of year as in the spring on the fresh grass?
(hope foundering is correct - I kept saying to people "floundering" and a lady laughed and said ' Melissa, not the fish "floundering" but "foundering" . We had a good laugh. That's ok, I am still interested enough to look like a fool - it's all good ^^

[Melissa Johnson]

Is the bloating problem because they are green? I was going to get some clover seed and throw out in the field - but the more I researched that on the net - it kept mentioning the fact that you have to be careful because of the tendency to cause bloat. I do actually have quite a bit of white clover in the lawn grass that they browse around in, and wouldnt you know, they dont even touch the clover. I decided to save my dollars on that.

Oh, actually what was on my mind was fresh grass. We have had a little rain and the field has greened up again. I have been taking the goats out for bout an hour to hour and half to browse around. They have been eating the fresh grass. Is it still as much of a problem with foundering this time of year as in the spring on the fresh grass?
(hope foundering is correct - I kept saying to people "floundering" and a lady laughed and said ' Melissa, not the fish "floundering" but "foundering" . We had a good laugh. That's ok, I am still interested enough to look like a fool - it's all good ^^


Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

The farmer across the road from us (who used to raise sheep) told me that if our sheep or goats got into a soybean field and stuffed themselves that they'd die from bloat. Other than that, I'm not aware of any problem with soybeans.

[Elyse Nicholson]

Okay. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some kind of soybean poisoning I should know about. But if that's all, they should be fine then.

Thanks!
WG4

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

The farmer across the road from us (who used to raise sheep) told me that if our sheep or goats got into a soybean field and stuffed themselves that they'd die from bloat. Other than that, I'm not aware of any problem with soybeans.