# How do goats eat multiflora rose?!?



## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

I had let my goats out of their pasture so they could eat some fresh, new areas. (I stay right with them to supervise them.)

They walked along the outside of the fence line and found several multiflora rose bushes. They sure chow down on them! (Even the little kids nibble here and there.)

One of my goats must really like them because instead of eating just the young tips, he snaps it off 12" from the tip and then chews his way down to the tender tip. How on earth are they able to eat multiflora rose with all those thorns? Do they have extremely tough tongues and gums or what?

And then how do they chew their cud with those thorns?


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

VERY CAREFULLY!


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Oh the wonder of goats.....its a mystery to me.:cowboy:


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

The same way they eat blackberry brambles...


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## Katey (Oct 1, 2007)

With great enthusiasm!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

What amazes me is watching them eat poison ivy.


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## christie (May 10, 2008)

After you see them eat the poison ivy.. Im like don't come near me! Ahhh


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## billooo2 (Nov 23, 2004)

The favorite treat for one of my goats is Canadian thistle!!.....as well as brambleberries and multiflora......


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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

christie said:


> After you see them eat the poison ivy.. Im like don't come near me! Ahhh


LOL. Ask me about my poison ivy story.

When my goats were tiny, they spent a whole day eating poison ivy leaves and then scratching themselves on the vines. When I got home that night, I went out to cuddle with my little darlings, having no idea what they'd been up to.

Let's just say the next month involved a doctor visit, prednisone shots and a whole lot of miserable sleepless nights.


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## Marianne (Feb 22, 2009)

Ouch....scratching just thinking about it!!


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Goats can smell a rosebush 5 miles away I think. Mine have gotten into a securely fenced area around my porch and eaten all ours to the ground this year.
We definitely have a love/hate relationship lol.


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## SLD Farm (Dec 19, 2007)

Wait til they rear up on their hind legs and eat up as high as they can reach. You will see how the greek myth of the "fawn" came to be.
My goats have done a great job killing the multifloral rose around here.


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