# Table scraps for goats?



## whatknott (Feb 22, 2008)

There is a lady that bought goats years ago from me. Now she is starting to breed her own pygmy goats, but still relies on me to give everyone shots and wormings. 
She brought over a very sick goat that was 7 weeks old this week. She had bought the mother and two babies a few weeks previously. I had vaccinated the babies once.
This baby had diarrhea for a couple of days. When it came here, it was dehyrated, very skinny and wouldn't even stand, gums pale. Gave her some coccidia meds, wormed the goat (she hadn't done that) and gave it a lot of pepto-bismal. Told her to get as much pedialyte into it as possible. But if she really wanted to save the goat, take it to the vet for subq fluids. She didn't want to pay emergency vet call, so opted the pedialyte routine. The goat died that night.
But this is my question - they feed all of their left over fruit, veggies, potato skins etc. to their goats. One goat had gotten sick after eating a lot of watermelon once, so they don't feed that anymore. I told her that they needed to get a potbelly pig to feed their table scraps to!
Is it okay and safe for them to feed all of those fruits and veggies? I assume it is, but couldn't find anything to say it isn't safe.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

yes it is safe to feed certain scraps to goats. I always say "salad scraps" never meat or rice, potatoes etc. 

So anything that is a fruit or veggie (but I never feed anything cooked or half eaten with like salad dressing on it). 

Example: left over wilted salad, ends of carrots after grating, cucumber peels, rinds of a Mellon (cut into small pieces so they can eat it, etc.


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## whatknott (Feb 22, 2008)

how about banana peels?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

yah thats ok as well as orange peals


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I totally agree ...with stacey ...all those are perfectly fine.. to feed ....some of mine are picky and will not eat it just sniff and walk off..... :wink: :greengrin:


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

I agree as well. but too much can make a goat sick. especially too much fruit.
beth


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## whatknott (Feb 22, 2008)

this little goat that died, I'm wondering if the diarrhea started from too many table scraps, or was it coccidia - won't ever know. But at least I know I shouldn't lectuer the lady about feeding table scraps again! thanks everyone.


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## supermimi4 (Sep 8, 2013)

i always thought goats would eat just about anything. i feed our goats the other day a few leftover hot dogs and they loved it and they seem just fine. some of the comments made me a little worried about what i did. do you think i can keep doing that as long as its not alot at a time. so far they have ate alot of different things including several types of leftover meats... thanks.


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## AmyBoogie (May 20, 2013)

Are they feeding just table scraps or do they also feed hay, browse, and grain?

Supermimi - I wouldn't feed any more meat.


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## goatgirl132 (Oct 18, 2012)

whatknott said:


> this little goat that died, I'm wondering if the diarrhea started from too many table scraps, or was it coccidia - won't ever know. But at least I know I shouldn't lectuer the lady about feeding table scraps again! thanks everyone.


I think the fact is of how much their getting. 
some is fine but if that's all their getting? I think that's where the problem comes in. 
are they getting hay and grain?
also what about the dehydration part? are they not
getting water?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

supermimi4 said:


> i always thought goats would eat just about anything. i feed our goats the other day a few leftover hot dogs and they loved it and they seem just fine. some of the comments made me a little worried about what i did. do you think i can keep doing that as long as its not alot at a time. so far they have ate alot of different things including several types of leftover meats... thanks.


Do not feed any ruminants meat. That is not good. Table scraps would be appropriate fruits and vegetables.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

uncooked Potato skina are toxic, no anumal or human should eat them...poisonous alkaloids (Solanum) are present in green sprouts and green potato skins.
We do feed ours banana peels and walermelon rinds ect...in moderation...anytime you feed a goat new foods it can upset the rumen..We try to keep our goats diet consitant with just a few things as treats...We usually have a few pigs that enjoy our scraps that we dont want our goats to have...


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