[joannec328]

I'm getting mixed information about lilac bushes. some sites say they are poisonous for goats to eat...some say they are fine. my goats will occasionally nibble on the leaves of a lilac bush in my yard...is this ok? or should i remove the bush?

 

[ksalvagno]

Have you seen any ill effects from it? I love Lilacs so it would be hard for me to remove it.

 

[joannec328]

no i have not...they don't eat much...they just nibble for a few minutes while i Chan it their stall

 

[joannec328]

oops...*clean out their stall

 

[enchantedgoats]

our goats eat them with no ill effects, but i wish they wouldnt!!

 

[nchen7]

I think maybe just watch them? I've seen it on the "ok to eat" and "will kill them" list as well, but if there are no ill effects, then I wouldn't worry about it.

for example, we have avocado trees around our property (we live in the tropics), and most lists I've seen say avocados are poisonous...like deadly poisonous. well....my goats thing otherwise. they love the stuff, and nothing happens to them. I don't let them eat too much, but sometimes when we're walking by, they dive in for them. I have one doe who sniffs out avocados on the ground and devours them.

just have to watch and see if they're getting sick or not. if not, then it should be ok.

 

[nancy d]

Lilacs are fine. No ill effects.

 

[Goats Rock]

Our wethers and bucks eat Lilac leaves all the time! (They hide the old outhouse!). So far, the only problem has been mine-
Apparently, there was poison ivy on the Lilac tree and the boys ate it, rubbed on the tree and got it all over them and
came to me for petting. Now, both arms are covered with poison ivy! Grrrr!

 

[Ride4ever]

I find that often my goats can tell the difference between good and bad plants on their own. My Togg's are so picky that they will hardly eat hay they don't like. I have no expirence with lilac or at least I don't think so. I have a lilac bush and my goats get out and eat from any bush they like, but I don't know that they have eaten it. If your goats have no problems with it, then I would let them eat it.