No, goats cannot eat rhubarb leaves.
Rhubarb leaves are poisonous to goats and thus shouldn’t be fed to them.
Here are some symptoms of rhubarb leaves poisoning in your goats:
- Gastrointestinal irritation
- Diarrhoea
- Respiratory distress
- Congestion
- Fluid accumulation around the tissues of the heart
The leaves of rhubarb are poisonous. As a result, when eaten in quantity, animal health may be jeopardized to a significant extent. A goat’s digestive system has the capacity to break down hazardous chemicals and transform them into less harmful ones.
Even though goats can tolerate toxic plants more compared to other animals, still, it’s best that you avoid feeding rhubarb leaves to your goats.
Goats avoid rhubarb leaves and prefer other plants. When food is limited, they may turn to rhubarb leaves if their nutritional formulations are imbalanced.
Goats can, however, eat rhubarb leaves during drought periods or when pastures have been overgrazed. This is why farmers already keep this in mind and feed their livestock a proper diet and do not have to resort to feeding them rhubarb leaves and such.
Can rhubarb leaves cause death in goats?
Yes, although not frequently.
The leaves of rhubarb are poisonous. As a result, when eaten in quantity, animal health may be jeopardized to a significant extent. A goat’s digestive system has the capacity to break down hazardous chemicals and transform them into less harmful ones.
So it’s rare that your goat will eat enough rhubarb leaves to cause death, but yes, it’s possible.
What should I feed my goats instead?
There are other plants that you can feed your goats instead of rhubarb leaves.
Swiss chard, kale, cabbage, broccoli, or any dark leafy green vegetables may be fed in place of rhubarb leaves.
