| # | Product | Our Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Best OverallREDMOND Goat Mineral Supplement (5 lb) | ★★★★★ | Check Price |
| 2 |  | Wholesome Harvest 16% Goat Feed (10 lb) | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
| 3 |  | Manna Pro Goat Treats | ★★★★☆ | Check Price |
Yes, hawthorn is safe for goats and most of them love it. The leaves, berries, and young twigs are all edible, and hawthorn hedgerows make some of the best natural browse you can offer a herd.
Can goats eat hawthorn?
Goats can eat hawthorn just fine, unlike mushrooms where wild varieties pose a real danger. It’s one of those plants that goats will actively seek out if they have access to it, stripping berries and leaves with obvious enthusiasm.
All breeds and ages of goats can eat hawthorn safely. The thorns don’t bother them because goats have remarkably mobile lips that let them navigate around sharp points to get at the leaves and berries they want.
What’s Hawthorn and what are its benefits?
Hawthorn is a small tree or large shrub that grows wild across Europe, Asia, and North America. It produces clusters of white flowers in spring and small red berries in autumn that hang on the branches well into winter.
The berries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, making them a nutritious treat for goats during the fall and early winter months, similar to the vitamin boost they get from blueberries. The leaves provide good fiber and protein content, especially when they’re young and green in spring.
For goat owners with hawthorn hedgerows on their property, this plant is basically free browse that renews itself every year. It’s one of the better natural forage options you can have growing along your fence lines.
What are the hazards of feeding Hawthorn to goats?
The thorns are the most obvious concern. While goats handle them well most of the time, a large thorn can occasionally puncture the cheek or tongue if a goat shoves its face into a thick tangle of branches.
The leaves contain tannins, which can cause loose stools if a goat eats too many at once. This isn’t a serious risk with normal browsing, but if you cut a large amount of hawthorn and pile it in the pen, a goat could overdo it.
Offer hawthorn as part of a varied diet rather than as the sole source of browse, alongside staples like alfalfa or timothy hay. Spread branches out in the pen instead of heaping them in a pile so goats can pick through them at their own pace.
What’s the best way to feed Hawthorn to goats?
If you’re trimming hawthorn from your hedgerow, clip off the largest thorns before offering the branches to your goats. You don’t need to remove every single thorn since their mouths can handle small prickles just fine.
Lay the trimmed branches in a clean area where the goats can browse at their leisure. The berries tend to be the first thing they go for, followed by the leaves, and finally the bark on younger stems.
You can also harvest hawthorn branches in late summer and hang them upside down in a well-ventilated barn to dry for winter use. Dried hawthorn gives goats something to pick at during the cold months when fresh browse is scarce, along with pine needles which also make excellent winter forage.
How much Hawthorn should be fed to goats?
Like any browse, hawthorn works best as a supplement to hay and grain rather than as the foundation of the diet. Let your goats browse hawthorn freely alongside their normal ration.
There’s no strict serving size to worry about since goats will self-regulate as long as they have other food options available. They rarely overeat hawthorn when hay and grain are also on offer.
If hawthorn is the only browse available, keep an eye on stool consistency. Loose droppings are a sign the tannin content is too high and you should pull back the amount you’re offering.
Final Thoughts
Hawthorn is one of the best natural browse plants for goats. The leaves, berries, and young twigs are all safe and nutritious, and most goats will strip a hawthorn hedge with real enthusiasm.
Clip the biggest thorns if you’re hand-feeding branches, offer it alongside their regular diet, and you have a free, renewable forage source that your herd will look forward to year-round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Goats can eat hawthorn. Hawthorn is rich in vitamins A and C, plus calcium and phosphorus. They're also loaded with fiber, which is important for goats' digestive health. Goats also like the taste of hawthorn, so it's a good treat to give them.
Yes, all breeds and ages of goats can eat hawthorn safely. The thorns don't bother them because goats have remarkably mobile lips that let them navigate around sharp points.
Hawthorn is a small tree or shrub that's native to Europe, Asia, and North America. The hawthorn plant has been used medicinally for centuries to treat a wide variety of ailments. Hawthorn leaves, flowers, and berries are all rich in compounds that have been shown to improve heart health.
The thorns can occasionally puncture the cheek or tongue if a goat shoves its face into thick branches. The leaves contain tannins that can cause loose stools if a goat eats too many at once.
