# Osage-orange; "Horseapples"? Toxic?



## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

We use them to keep away bugs, and today my buggers somehow managed to get ahold of one, and they ate it! I've looked them up, took me a while because I didn't know what they actually ARE, (I do now!) and I can't find anything about them being toxic, but I'm still concerned.

Does anyone know anything about them?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osage-orange

:?


----------



## enjoytheride (Oct 5, 2007)

Sorry- not a plant from around here- I hope your goaties are OK. They do seem to be able to tolerate more toxics than most creatures.


----------



## Sweet Gum Minis (Oct 6, 2007)

I have a mock orange in my yard but I've never had to worry about the goats eating it. I would hope its not posionous.


----------



## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

Those aren't hedge trees are they? I know that isn't spelled right. We have a done of hedge trees up here that drop those little balls all along the road. Idk if goats can have them though put some baking soda out just in case.


----------



## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

Duh, I should have read the article. :roll: Just called it hedge in there, we have a ton of those up here.


----------



## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

Well they're both fine, and I've talked to a few other people who say their livestock eat these once in a while, and the deer out here eat them up, so they must not be too bad. I'll be watching to make sure no more find their way into the pen, though!


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Here they are called "Monkey Balls"...and the trees they grow on are 25-45 feet high, I've seen deer and bear as well as squirrels eating them so I think I would be safe in saying that your goats should be fine. :greengrin:


----------



## Adam Rabon (4 mo ago)

I feed them to my goats all the time. They love them. You have to crush them up to feed them to them tho. By themselves they cannot break the surface. Cattle even have some trouble eating them. Horses on the other hand can break them apart easily since they have two rows of teeth. I guess that’s why they call them horse apples


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

Adam Rabon said:


> I feed them to my goats all the time. They love them. You have to crush them up to feed them to them tho. By themselves they cannot break the surface. Cattle even have some trouble eating them. Horses on the other hand can break them apart easily since they have two rows of teeth. I guess that’s why they call them horse apples


This post is a few years old…

welcome to TGS! 😊


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

☝😉


----------

