Skip to Content

Treats for Goats: Safe Fruits & Veggies | What To Avoid

If you’re searching for the top fruits and vegetables to use as delectable treats for your goats, you’re headed in the right direction.

Can goats eat carrots? Carrots are an ideal treat for goats as the entire vegetable is edible. Goat handlers should feed carrots to goats in moderation, as too much of a good thing is bad. Before feeding carrots to goats, make sure the treats are cut into small enough pieces that your animals won’t choke.

Read on below and explore all the safe and tasty vegetables and fruits to feed your goats as well as what to avoid!

What Vegetables Can Goats Eat?

Goats aren’t known for being picky eaters, but that doesn’t mean you should feed them just anything. Most vegetables can be eaten either raw or cooked by goats. 

Cooking vegetables such as broccoli or potatoes before feeding them to goats may reduce potential stomach issues.

Some of the best vegetables for goat treats include:

  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Lettuce
  • Cucumbers
  • Celery
  • Potatoes (and potato skins)
  • Pumpkin
  • Squash
  • Spinach
  • Tomatoes

Vegetables such as garlic, onions, and cabbage should be avoided as treats for goats.

Are Carrots Good for Goats?

Carrots are often considered a perfect treat for goats, and while they are indeed ideal treats for goats, they must be fed to goats in moderation. 

This crunchy vegetable is packed with vitamins, minerals, and beta-carotene. Carrots don’t need to be cooked before being given to goats, which makes them even more ideal.

Can Goats Eat Carrot Tops?

Most goats will eat carrot tops so long as they are fresh or at least semi-fresh. 

Carrot tops, however, are loaded with glucosinolates, which are harmful to goats if ingested in large amounts. 

That means you should remove the carrot tops if you regularly feed your goat carrots. If carrots are an occasional treat for your goat, the tops don’t need to be removed.

Can Goats Eat Celery?

Celery is a good treat for goats. They enjoy the water content, taste, and crispiness of the vegetable. You can feed celery to your goats chopped or whole, though chopped is recommended.

Can Goats Eat Cucumber?

Cucumbers are an ideal food for goats, but only in moderation. It is highly suggested to chop the cucumber into pieces before offering it to your goats (otherwise they may choke).

Can Goats Eat Cabbage?

Cabbage is considered toxic to goats. It should never be fed to them (even as a snack). It is also recommended to keep your goats away from gardens with cabbage growing in them.

Can Goats Eat Broccoli?

Broccoli is perfectly safe and healthy for your goats to nibble on as a treat. The vegetable can be served to goats cooked or raw, and they enjoy it both ways. 

Cooked broccoli may be easier on their digestive system.

Can Goats Eat Lettuce?

Goats love eating lettuce and other fresh greens. Planting extra lettuce and other greens, like spinach, or kale, is a great way to keep your goats from eating other plants.

Can Goats Eat Tomatoes?

Tomatoes are an excellent addition to your goat’s diet, especially if given in moderate amounts. 

However, the leaves of tomato plants are toxic to goats and should be carefully removed from your goat’s tomato treats.

Can Goats Eat Spinach?

Spinach is one of the best vegetables for your goat to eat on a regular basis. These leafy greens work well as a main dietary staple or a treat for your goat as you see fit.

Other Vegetables Goats Enjoy

Squash and pumpkin are a couple more vegetables that goats love to eat as treats. 

As with most vegetables that goats enjoy eating, squash and pumpkin may be fed to your hooved companions either raw or cooked.

A black and white goat munching on a stalk of chamomile.

What Fruits Can Goats Eat?

Goats are just as fond of fruit as they are of vegetables. Below, we discuss the most popular fruits for goats to eat as treats as well as what to avoid.

Can Goats Eat Apples?

Apples are a great treat for goats and may be used as a dietary staple as well. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals that are good for the goat’s health. 

Just make sure to cut the fruit up into small pieces before feeding it to your animals.

Can Goats Eat Grapes?

Grapes are an excellent treat for goats. Not only are they healthy and nutritional for goats, but the animals also love their high water content and sweet flavor.

Can Goats Eat Pineapple?

Pineapple is perfectly safe for goats to eat, including the leaves, stem, and outer skin. 

The catch is that due to its high sugar content, goats should only be fed pineapple every so often (no more than a handful of small pieces at a time once every week or two).

Can Goats Eat Bananas?

Bananas are very much edible and favored by goats. The fruit is full of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants and is incredibly healthy for goats.

Can Goats Eat Banana Peels?

Banana peels are also edible and healthy for goats. However, not all goats enjoy eating banana peels.

Can Goats Eat Strawberries?

Strawberries are a great addition to your goat’s dietary balance, specifically for their digestive systems. Feed your goats strawberries only after washing them carefully to remove pesticides still present on the fruit.

Can Goats Eat Blueberries?

Blueberries are a good snack for goats, but they shouldn’t be given to them as part of their regular diet. These little blue fruits have far too much sugar for goats to eat on a daily basis.

Can Goats Eat Pumpkin?

Pumpkins are full of vitamins and minerals that are essential to goats’ overall health, such as vitamins A and E. Pumpkin is also full of fiber, making them an excellent food for goats.

Other Fruits Goats Enjoy

Peaches, pears, plums, and watermelons are just a few of the other fruits goats enjoy eating as a tasty treat. 

Not only do goats enjoy the taste of these various fruits, but the fruit is also good for them nutritionally if given in moderation. 

Otherwise, these fruits are too sweet to be included in a goat’s regular diet.

What Can Goats Not Eat?

Goats aren’t the pickiest of eaters as they eat nearly anything they can fit into their mouths. That’s why you need to know what they shouldn’t eat and help them to avoid it.

Fruits and vegetables that are high in sugar and starch should be given only rarely as a snack or avoided completely. 

Citrus fruits should be avoided altogether as well. Even if your goat enjoys the taste, the citrus content is upsetting to their rumen.

Foods that goats should not eat include:

  • Azaleas
  • Black cherry
  • Cabbage
  • Chocolate
  • Dog fennel
  • Garlic
  • Honeysuckle
  • Onion
  • Meat
  • Sumac
  • Nightshade
  • Anything with caffeine

Related Questions:

Can Goats Eat Bread?

Goats eat bread and may even enjoy the taste and texture of it. However, too much bread is bad for goats as it is empty food for them. Bread isn’t nutritional enough to be a dietary staple for goats.

When Do Baby Goats Start Eating Grass?

Baby goats typically start eating grass when they are just two to three weeks old. When they are so young, baby goats will eat fresh grass or chewed-up grass that is provided to them.

Hay is better for baby goats because it is easier for them to digest.

At What Age Can a Goat Get Pregnant?

Female goats start going through puberty at approximately 4 months old. Young goats may get pregnant when they reach a weight of around 60 pounds, or when they are around 7 to 10 months old. 

Conclusion

There is nothing that goats enjoy more as a treat than carrots, cucumbers, apples, bananas, and other fruits and vegetables.

Goats may eat most of their favorite snacks raw or cooked without issue, including the tough skins of fruits and vegetables like pineapples and potatoes.

Keep in mind that cutting your goat treats into small cubes makes them as safe as possible and prevents your animals from choking.