# Talk to me about milkweed!



## piccololily (Mar 3, 2003)

Ackkk!!! I am finding milkweed everywhere when I thought I had it irradicated from the pastures! I know it's poisonous to goats, but how much? 
I mean, does one bite equal instant death, or what? 
What are the signs of poisoning from milkweed? 
Is there anything that can be done for milkweed poisoning? 
Do the roots grow back when the plant is pulled? 
Is the plant attractive to goats, or will they avoid it?
Is it even safe to let goats into a pasture where milkweed seedlings keep popping up? (I check for it often, but I'm only human...)
Are kids more likely to eat it than adults?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am panicking since tonight when I found several small plants growing under an elm bush that is in my kid pen!!


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

Mine won't touch it.:nanner:


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## QoTL (Jun 5, 2008)

Hmmm.. mine take every opportunity to get a nibble if I happen to be walking them past. You would think it was a special treat.

I've heard it was poisonous, but one would need mass quantities... I don't know though, so not pretending to have the correct answer. Just as I said, if the goats get in the garden, that's the first 'weeding' they do (after that they go for the REAL plants ARG).


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## myrtlelane (May 12, 2006)

Goats are quite smart when it comes to poisonous plants. As long as there is good pasture, goats make take a nibble of something that might be poison and determine that it's not good, and not touch it again just as long as there is sufficient good stuff to eat.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

My goats eat lots of things that are supposedly poisonous. I'm sure in massive quantities they would be. But if given a good variety, goats will usually eat a little heare, a little there, and they are very sensible about it. Of course you can't trust dry-lotted goats to be smart, they see a green plant and they WANT it!
Don't allow young kids to be exposed to a lot of an iffy plant, as they aren't as smart at that age. Especially bottle kids who don't have mothers to teach them.
"poisonous plants" my goats eat:

Poke weed.
Poison Hemlock.
Milkweed.
Oak leaves in large quantities.
and others that aren't coming to mind right now.

If given plenty of variety, a goat will very seldom poison itself on things that grow naturally in the area.

NOTE. This does not apply to ornamentals introduced by humans!!


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## nothingman (Jul 4, 2010)

We pick up our first goats this weekend and the doe pasture is packed with milkweed. Well, the whole ---- farm is packed with milkweed!

We've pulled a ton of it out already, I'll see whether they start eating what's left before I start yanking that too. The horses don't touch it at all in their pasture, so, we'll see I guess...


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## prairiedog (Jan 18, 2007)

The monarch butterflies love it. Our goats have ate a lot of things that are suppose to hurt them.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Mine eat it. Sometimes they'll eat a whole plant before losing interest and moving on.


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## The Tin Mom (Dec 30, 2008)

prairiedog said:


> The monarch butterflies love it. Our goats have ate a lot of things that are suppose to hurt them.


Yeah. That is why monarchs lay their eggs on it & also part of the reason that their caterpillars are poisonous to birds.

I think our goats nibble at it but rarely eat very much of it - but when they get out of their pen there are other things they would rather eat (like my mother-in-law's rose bush! LOL!!)


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I don't think my goats eat it that readily. I know it's all over in our garden, too, and after the growing season is over we let the goats in there to clean up... Haven't lost one yet!


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

My goats haven't read the book on milkweed or poison hemlock, for that matter. They nibble a bit at both, more on the hemlock. We have that durned stuff EVERYWHERE!

<shrug> Goats.


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