# Can goats go out after rain?



## Kaitlin (Aug 3, 2006)

Sorry, this is probably a silly question but I know that if feeding goats browse, you should let it dry first if it had been rained on, to avoid bloat. My goats have an exercise yard and a paddock to use when it's not raining. If the day starts with rain but then dries up, is it ok to let the goats go out when the grass, leaves etc will still be wet? Living in the UK, most days are a mixture!


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

My goats are free to come and go from the barn as they like, rain or shine.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Rockytopsis said:


> My goats are free to come and go from the barn as they like, rain or shine.


mine too


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## EasyDay (Aug 28, 2004)

Mine, too.
In fact, I've never heard that browse should be dry. Goodness, what would herds of field goats do?


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## Kaitlin (Aug 3, 2006)

Well, that's what I thought.Maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick somewhere (No pun intended!) So, everyone else's goats go in and out and eat wet leaves with no ill effects?


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## TennesseeMama23 (May 10, 2006)

Kaitlin said:


> So, everyone else's goats go in and out and eat wet leaves with no ill effects?


 Yup


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## Qvrfullmidwife (Jan 10, 2004)

Yes, plus goodness what if they drink water after eating dry leaves?


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## Kaitlin (Aug 3, 2006)

Okay, Okay!


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I love these kinds of questions because the same kind of wondering thoughts go through my head too about things


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## GoatsRus (Jan 19, 2003)

Mine go out rain or shine. Funny when we first got them years ago, they would run as fast as they could to the barn if they felt one rain drop, now they'll stand outside eating until they are a soaking wet mess!


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## pookshollow (Aug 22, 2005)

GoatsRus said:


> Mine go out rain or shine. Funny when we first got them years ago, they would run as fast as they could to the barn if they felt one rain drop, now they'll stand outside eating until they are a soaking wet mess!


Ditto! We always used to joke that they'd melt in the rain. :sing:


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## jil101ca (Jul 2, 2007)

I don't know about rain but I did read that you should feed hay and let the morning dew dry when the grass first starts to grow and is very lush to prevent bloat. Could this be what your are thinking of? Does anybody follow that advice?


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## Madfarmer (Mar 22, 2008)

It's more than just preventing bloat. As foliage dries, parasites move back down closer to the ground, where goats don't usually forage unless the grass/browse is very short. So they pick up fewer parasites on dry forage.

Madfarmer


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## Kaitlin (Aug 3, 2006)

Madfarmer said:


> It's more than just preventing bloat. As foliage dries, parasites move back down closer to the ground, where goats don't usually forage unless the grass/browse is very short. So they pick up fewer parasites on dry forage.
> 
> Madfarmer


Perhaps this is what I'm thinking of? I'm pretty bsure I've read somewhere as well that if you pick browse, it's best to leave it to the next day to feed if it's wet.However, just because it was in a book doesm't mean it's right and I'd raher go by everyone's experience.


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

Browse is higher than the worm larvae crawl. We feed browse right away so that it doesn't wilt.


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## EasyDay (Aug 28, 2004)

Qvrfullmidwife said:


> Yes, plus goodness what if they drink water after eating dry leaves?


That's what DH said.  "What's the difference if they eat wet leaves or eat dry leaves and then drink water?"

Kaitlin, we don't mean to make fun at your expense. It's just that goatios are such funny critters, and I mean that in a *good *way. Mine are positive that rain is acid... and they think *I* can make it stop!


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## Kaitlin (Aug 3, 2006)

That's ok - I did think it was probably a silly question.It's a bit like when you have your first baby - you're convinced that the slightest thing will kill them. By the time you've had your fourth, you don't panic quite so much. I promise I'll go away now and stop panicking! Thanks for all your kind words.

Kaitlin


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

Kaitlin said:


> Perhaps this is what I'm thinking of? I'm pretty bsure I've read somewhere as well that if you pick browse, it's best to leave it to the next day to feed if it's wet.However, just because it was in a book doesm't mean it's right and I'd raher go by everyone's experience.


Careful with feeding any just wilted stuff.... Generally this is when any toxins will be highest. If you cure it for hay or feed fresh any risk is much less. So if you wilt don't ever feed the wrong thing.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Maybe you were thinking if it had frost on it still like sometimes this time of year here there will be mornings with frost on the greenery growing around. My goats won't eat it if it has frost on it so maybe they know something we don't. 
If's rained too much mine don't like that either. They don't want to walk through anything puddled up or mud. I think they are spoiled.


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## Mummyhen (Nov 11, 2020)

Hi, Iam a new goat Mummy, nearly one month now, got two pgymy kids (one wether one doe) 6 months old, yes I fret like having new born babies, they are not as easy to care for as I thought, although I just worry of all the things that can make them sick☹
Iam learning fast, but paranoid too on collecting berries, checking their hooves and bum daily....how sad is that 😂 anyway perhaps too much reading is not always good, take care. I have lots of unanswered questions


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

Yes. You are reading too much. There is NO REASON to check hooves daily. Unless you have them in a TINY goat pen, there is no reason to pick up goat poo daily.

Give yourself a break. Imagine how pioneers managed their livestock. Work smart, not hard.


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## wil14 (Sep 13, 2020)

Mummyhen said:


> Hi, Iam a new goat Mummy, nearly one month now, got two pgymy kids (one wether one doe) 6 months old, yes I fret like having new born babies, they are not as easy to care for as I thought, although I just worry of all the things that can make them sick☹
> Iam learning fast, but paranoid too on collecting berries, checking their hooves and bum daily....how sad is that 😂 anyway perhaps too much reading is not always good, take care. I have lots of unanswered questions


They're still rather sweet at 6 months aren't they? Goats for the most part sniff things to tell if they seem good to eat. I let them browse whatever they want and wonder around the farm during the day. It's unlikely you'll have any problems or need to worry about poisonous this or that.


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## Mummyhen (Nov 11, 2020)

wil14 said:


> They're still rather sweet at 6 months aren't they? Goats for the most part sniff things to tell if they seem good to eat. I let them browse whatever they want and wonder around the farm during the day. It's unlikely you'll have any problems or need to worry about poisonous this or that.


Hi,
Just an update, yes I've stopped reading up bit more, and gone by my instinct, all going well so far, kids still cute and adorable, feel lot more confident now, especially reading on this forum, you all are brilliant, thank you and take care


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## Lidy (Feb 12, 2021)

jil101ca said:


> I don't know about rain but I did read that you should feed hay and let the morning dew dry when the grass first starts to grow and is very lush to prevent bloat. Could this be what your are thinking of? Does anybody follow that advice?


That exactly what I heard a farmer say, and I led me to ask since is bad is wet grass from rain bad


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