Don’t you think gratifying your farm animals with some uncommon yet healthy treats is a quality gesture we all must practice every now and then?
While talking about a goat’s most-desired food choice, pasture tops the list, followed by greens, raisins, chaffhaye carrots, asparagus, pumpkin seeds, sunflower, and the list goes on! Undoubtedly, goats are the only farm animals that get as excited as human beings once they notice their preferred food being served.
For farm animals like goats, there is a lengthy list of uncommon vegetables and fruits that are considered healthy and nutritious. With that said, one must note that strawberries are one of the many rewarding fruits that livestock keepers present to their animals as an occasional treat.
Can goats eat strawberries? What fruits can goats eat? In this guide, we will elaborate on the idea of whether it is okay to feed strawberries to goats.
Can Goats Eat Strawberries?
Source: Petkeen.com
If truth be told, goats are not exactly picky eaters. They normally eat whatever is provided to them. So, when something as pleasing as a strawberry is offered on a plate, how can they reject it?
Like other fruit and vegetable food items, goats can consume strawberries, although they are not a regular constituent of their diet, particularly in the strawberry season. That being said, we can say that strawberries constitute a pleasing treat option if they are served on an occasional basis.
The Appropriate Way of Feeding Strawberries to Goats
With the arrival of the strawberry season, a wise approach would be to dedicate one or two days to a strawberry treat.
However, it should be kept in mind that exceeding the standard amounts may lead to unwanted complications. So, it would be best to serve strawberries to goats only once or twice a week (in moderation) in the strawberry season.
While strawberries are not that heavy on a goat’s jaws, avoid putting them straight into the goat’s feeding pot unchopped.
It would be sound to wash the strawberries thoroughly and then cut them into tiny cubes so that they can be consumed conveniently without the risk of choking. As a matter of fact, not only strawberries but all other vegetables and fruits should be served after chopping them into small, comfortably chewable pieces.
Advantages of Feeding Fresh Strawberries to Goats
Source: Sandcreekfarm.net
If you are considering feeding strawberries to your goats, you must make sure that they are fresh and not rotten. As goats possess pretty sensitive stomachs, feeding them rotten or fruits or vegetables would not be appropriate.
Can goats eat strawberries? Yes, and do you know why? These charming-looking fruits are filled with remarkable benefits. They provide a wide variety of valuable minerals and vitamins that both animals and humans require to sustain a healthy and stable life.
Nutritional Value of Strawberries
If you have set your mind to gratifying your goats with strawberries this year, it would be best to consider the nutritional information of this fruit, which has been described below for your convenience. Strawberries contain the following minerals and vitamins:
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin C
- Folic Acid
- Fiber
- Potassium
- Manganese
Vitamin K
Vitamin K, an essential constituent of strawberries, regulates the smooth functioning of the blood clotting mechanism. While goats do not express a liking for Vitamin K supplements as they show for other minerals and vitamins, it is okay for goats to consume strawberries and get a hold of this Vitamin in a measured amount, naturally.
Vitamin C
Strawberries constitute an excellent source of Vitamin C, particularly for goats, after lemons, oranges, and grapefruit. This rewarding Vitamin serves by enhancing the immune function and is required by not only humans but also plants and animals.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is another beneficial element of strawberries that regulates normal metabolic function. As far as farm animals, such as goats, are concerned, they need an adequate amount of this supplement for red blood cell production and DNA synthesis.
Fiber
Fiber is an essential constituent of strawberries and must be included in a goat’s diet. Its significance can be comprehended from the fact that every female mammal requires a sufficient amount of fiber to surpass the crucial stages of pregnancy and lactation.
Potassium
Potassium plays a critical role in maintaining the fluid balance within the body. It is also necessary for regulating muscle function, lowering the risk of heart-related complications, and improving bone function. Apart from that, goats also need potassium for the smooth functioning of their metabolic system.
Manganese
Nowadays, Manganese deficiency is commonly observed in goats. Some evident signs of low Manganese in goats include deformed legs, poor concentration, and decreased or reluctant walk.
Proper intake of Manganese is necessary for goats as it plays a significant role in enzyme functioning, bone formation, and reproduction. So, goats must eat strawberries occasionally to build a stronger foundation for their body.
Summary
Source: Farmdesire.com
What fruits can goats eat? Goats can eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other items, including strawberries, carrots, raisins, asparagus, sunflower, pumpkin seeds, etc.
By reading this article, you would have realized how beneficial strawberries can be if we start serving them to our goats occasionally. Goats normally do not require anything extra to get the required potassium, calcium, and phosphorus as they already intake them through the pasture.
However, they require selenium, zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, Manganese, and various other vitamins to live and enjoy a balanced life. Most of these vitamins and minerals are ingested by goats unknowingly through fruits, such as strawberries.
The minerals and vitamins strawberries possess are, no doubt, quite valuable for a goat’s compacted body. Still, it is completely up to you as your goats would be fine even if you do not feed them strawberries. However, providing them with finely chopped strawberries would make an excellent treat! Wouldn’t it?
