We are putting up our fence today (friday) and a big overgrown lilac bush is in the area where I want to keep the goats, I know they like to eat branches, would this be ok for them, would they get sick? Would it make their milk taste odd? If you don't know do you know of a website that would have this kind of information? Sarah

-- Sarah Brown (joshsarah@bigfoot.com), October 05, 2001

Answers

I don't know about lilac and goats but perhaps someone answering Sarahs guestion can answer one for me. I'd like to get lilac started, and someone gave me slips which are doing nicly in a 5- gallon bucket. Unfortunatly, we didn't get the "landscaping" done that we wanted and I'm still not ready to plant them. Can I leave them in the bucket outside to over winter? Or do they need to come inside? Space is at a premium inside. Thanks

-- Kelly in Ky (ksaderholm@yahoo.com), October 05, 2001.

please do not allow your goats anywhere near the lilacs. They are poisonous to goats. And yes the plants should be just fine in containers. Just put them in a protected spot and keep them watered when dry.

-- (countrymous@webtv.net), October 05, 2001.

I have several poisonous/toxic plant lists and the lilac bush isn't on any of them!

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), October 05, 2001.

Sarah...my goats' pasture has several types of wild lilacs growing. They will nibble here and there, but don't seem to spend too much time with the lilacs. They also have access to all the oak leaves and acorns they want, which I've heard can be toxic to goats. As with the lilacs, they nibble then move on. But they eat some of these plants every day! Maybe in excess they could be harmful, but having a large area to roam plus free choice hay they never eat too much of any one plant. I have never seen lilacs listed anywhere as toxic either!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), October 05, 2001.

I don't know if lilacs are toxic to goats or not -- the local deer avoid them until about this time of year, and now they are snipping off the leaves and eating them (as well as the lily-of-the-valley, which is supposed to be toxic, but that's another discussion).

Considering what I have read from other people on the board about the forage flavouring the milk, I would advise you to avoid letting any milking animals eat it. Lilac leaves taste TERRIBLE (yes, I've tried them). I think it would ruin the milk if that flavour transferred., because it's nasty.

For Kelly -- sink the bucket into the ground outside and leave them there over winter. Putting them in the ground will protect the new roots from the freeze/thaw cycle which kills them, as well as preventing winter drying. I often put plants that I didn't get around to into the garden soil for the winter and get back to it the next year.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), October 06, 2001.

Thanks-I thought I could but wasn't sure.

-- Kelly in KY (ksaderholm@yahoo.com), October 07, 2001.

we have huge lilac bushes , the goats nibble them , but dont eat them excusively , i think a goat "taste" is ok , but i wouldnt want them to pig out ,

get the bucket in the ground , or mounded in leaves , something to protect it from a "quick freeze"

-- Beth Van Stiphout (willosnake@hotmail.com), October 29, 2001.