Peach Trees

[HenCam]

I'm extending my goats' paddock into the back meadow where there's a peach tree. I've heard that peach leaves are toxic to goats. Is this true? How careful do I have to be?
BTW, if you want to see my very cute Nigerian Dwarf wethers, log onto www.goatcam.com. I've got a live cam!

 

[chicken fruit]

Any stone fruit is toxic to goats. I'd fence off the tree and any area around it where fruit might fall.

 

[HenCam]

The soft interiors of stone fruits contain a form of cyanide, and so stories abound about how toxic they are - but an animal would have to consume ALOT. The fleshy exterior fruit, the leaves, etc. are not known to be toxic to most critters. (Other plants, like milkweed do have toxins in their leaves.)

I had heard that goats can become ill eating fallen peach leaves. I'm not sure if that's one of those "urban legends" linked to the pit issues, or whether it's true. Anyone have real experience with their goats eating leaves of stone fruits? I know my kids have nibbled on peach leaves and cherry leaves to no ill effect (they only nibbled and moved on. That's the good thing about goats, they tend not to gorge on one thing.)

Terry at goatcam.com

 

[HenCam]

I got a very useful response from one of my www.hencam.com/henblog readers. Peach leaves, when wilted, ARE toxic. Read this.
http://netvet.wustl.edu/species/goats/goatpois.txt

No wonder my boys showed no adverse affects to eating the leaves on the trees - the leaves have to be at a certain wilted stage to be dangerous!

 

[cmjust0]

There's some conflicting information on this.. Some say the wilted leaves of all fruit trees are dangerous, some say it's only wild cherry. Then you'll hear that it's only wild chery and __________, with everyone filling the blank in with a different fruit tree....peach, plum, apple, etc.

One thing that seems to be widely agreed upon is that the problem comes primarily with the consumption of wilted leaves. Supposedly, it's got to do with the concentration of cyanide being higher when the leaves wilt...I dunno.

If you can dig up any solid, reliable information, let us know!

 

[currycomb]

years ago i lost 2 pigmy goats. they were in the same pen for a long time, fed hay and sweet feed daily. one day i was gone, they had hay and water, but no grain. they died. found out through vet books, the grains were diluting / absorbing the cyanide in the plants they were eating. missed one day and lost the goats. hard lesson.

 

[Marta]

there are alot of conflicting stories about fruit leaves yes...
from all the research Ive done and am doing....
basically any fruit that has a stone in it...ie: peach, cherry (incl choke cherry or wild cherry), apricot, etc is ok if the leaves are not wilting...once fully dry or fresh leaves straight off the tree are ok I was very worried about this topic.
Marta goes out of her way to eat these leaves. Although I am going to have to stop her as they are starting to turn now which is a shame as they make a great treat.
we have hundreds of cherry peach and almond trees

 

[CincyFarmGirl]

I’ve read your messages about how it seems to be the wilted leaves of fruits with pits that are toxic to goats. At some level. I am pruning my peach tree now, but they’re already some blossoms on it and the goats seem to be nibbling on the blossoms do you think that’s a problem? Perhaps it wouldn’t be since there certainly not wilted in there all fresh.

 

[animalmom]

I have peach trees and goats. The goats are not thrilled with peach leaves but will eat any peach within their reach AND leave the pit intact.

Not saying that is true of all goats, but the buck pen that shares the fenceline with the peach trees is littered with the bodies of uneaten peach pits. When I say the boys like peach fruit be sure to count your fingers after offering some. They are fearless in their pursuit.

Good luck with your trees and goaties. We'd love pictures when you get a chance.