I went to our local 4-H fair and one of the posters there said that the plant lambs quarters is poisonous to goats! I didn't think it was, but am asking all you folks what you know... Thanks!

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), July 26, 2000

Answers

I haven't heard that before.... I wonder how much the toxic quality is . Our place is full of it and our sheep and occasional goat haven't had any notable problems . Come to think of it they don't like it much so maybe that's why.

-- kelly (kellytree@hotmail.com), July 27, 2000.

Lambs quarters poisonous to goats. I've never heard that one before. As an old goat myself (Capricorn astrological sign) I've never been bothered by it, and do eat it when it is young and tender in the early Spring months. It makes good greens.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), July 27, 2000.

Can be, in large quantities. Oxalate (like rhubarb leaves). Also nitrates.

Lamb 's Quarters

Chenopodium album poisoning

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), July 27, 2000.

Gailann I wish Vicki would answer this but I think it is a fale statement or it is one of those deals where the goat would have to eat a ton of it. After over 25 years of raising goats in several different states, this is the first I have ever heard of it.

-- Karen Mauk (dairygoatmama@hotmail.com), July 27, 2000.

We have a lot of it growing around here, and my ladies never had problems with it. My Mom would make up a mess of grees every spring, and lamb's quarters were in it. HUH! Got me!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), July 27, 2000.

It is also a new one on me. Though lots of things are "poisonious" in the sense that it contains high amounts of tanic acid, which is going to cause diarrhea, my goats eat pine, china berry etc. all the time, so perhaps it is because they are used to it? I do know that azaela and oleander will kill a young goat. We have at least one 4H kid call each spring with posioning, from azeleas. Goats are just so darn smart that if offered anykind of normal diet at all, wouldn't eat posionious plants, unless young or starved. Some answer!! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 27, 2000.

Just today I was reading Raising Milk Goats the Modern Way by J.D. Belanger (anybody know him? LOL). It stated that very young,small lambquarter is poisonous. That's all it said.

-- Vaughn (vdcjm5@juno.com), July 27, 2000.

Didn't want to misquote J.D., so here is the exact quote (this is from the 1975 ed.):

"Under certain conditions, some weeds such as lamb's quarter and pigweed (and even normal crops such as oat and wheat grass and sudan) can be toxic. When they are very young or when they grow rapidly after a setback such as drought, they can be dangerous."

-- Vaughn (vdcjm5@juno.com), July 27, 2000.

Thanks everyone! My goat woman that I milk gets to wander outside of her pen when I am done milking. One of her favorite things to munch on is the lamb's quarter that grows in abundance around the chicken house. I've never seen her have any staggers or any other problem. I was absolutely shocked to see it listed as a toxic weed to goats. I always thought it was one of the fairly universal edible plants. I suppose I will consider that the 4-Her was being overly stringent on his/her poster. Thanks again. g

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), July 28, 2000.

Gailann, the only things I can think to add would be to contact the 4H leader or the county extension office for more information. I'd also make sure about identifying what you're calling lambs quarters and what the poster maker considers lambs quarters. Lambs quarters usually means the same plant, at least I can't remember anything else being called the same name, but it could happen. Be interesting to know why someone thinks it is posoinous. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), August 02, 2000.