Goats are great! Nubian goats are especially sweet. If bred right, Nubians can look a lot like their canine friends. They are certainly about the same size as a large dog and walk well on a leash when trained. Some can even be trained to pull carts. But when it comes to eating, if you’re counting on them to be the pasture shepherds that are the sheep, you may be a little disappointed. They will not become four-legged lawnmowers. They will graze, but love weeds and shrubs. To them, weeds and bushes are like their chocolate. But will they eat your metal patio furniture, your dirty clothes, or any of the other things they’ve been pictured eating? Not.
Dairy goats are actually a bit of a picky eater. They will graze on grasses, but prefer grasses that have weeds and brush. But there are a number of things they won’t touch, just like some people don’t like certain foods. Yes, it really is true. There are some things that a goat does not eat. One might like dandelion greens and another wouldn’t touch them even if you dipped them in chocolate. Granted, I’m not sure if they like chocolate (that was just an example), but I wouldn’t recommend trying to feed your goats chocolate to find out. However, they like to say everything. So they can nibble or taste anything, but that’s not eating, it’s just normal goat curiosity. You’d know this if you’ve ever stepped out onto the grass in a lace-up coat or a pair of lace-up boots. They play with it with their mouths and nibble on it; but it’s just curious.
Will they eat some things they shouldn’t; things that could make them sick? Yes! That’s why it’s so important to know what’s in your grass because there are some things they will eat that could make them seriously ill or even kill them. For example, potatoes can make you very sick; leaves or tubers. There are also many flowers that will kill them if eaten. So for many, letting their dairy goats loose on their lawn may not be an option, due to what they have planted as flowers in random places. Believe it or not, you can get a list through your local agriculture department of what, in your specific area, is harmful for goats to eat. This will allow you to more easily assess your turf area to make sure there are no potential problems with it.
In the same way, there are some plants that are beneficial for them and others that will harm the taste of your milk. There are even some natural plants that will help them dry more easily; whether you need them to stop for health reasons or it’s just time to stop milking. So take the time to do your research. Learn which plants in your area are bad, good or annoying and what may be helpful to your dairy goats. It will pay off in the long run.