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For many people, raising goats is a particularly fun hobby that almost anyone can take up regardless of their pet raising experience. A typical (mis)perception is that goats can eat virtually anything and anything includes popcorn and corn, right? But before you start changing your goats from goat feed to popcorn, you need to know, can goats eat popcorn? Can goats eat corn, too?
The quick answer, goats can indeed be fed popcorn, and they can eat other types and forms of corn, but you must take great care. Corn contains a reasonably high concentration percent of calcium, and depending on how it is made, too much of it can lead to serious health problems.
As tempting as it may seem, the fact that corn is cheaper than regular goat feed should not encourage you to want to feed more popcorn or corn to your goat. Remember, popcorn, and other forms of corn must only make up less than 50% of a goat’s daily feeding diet.
Suppose you are a goat owner, whether as a farmer or pet, and this is news to you, then you have certainly come to the right place. Read on to find out how much popcorn and what kind of corn you can feed your goats and the pros and cons of doing so.
Hopefully, this will help you determine what’s best for you and your goats!
Can goats eat popcorn? Popped or unpopped?
Most people know (or assume) that many goats will eat anything put in front of them, and corn of any kind is no exception. Popcorn can be fed to goats, whether it has popped or is still just kernels of grain. In order words, goats can eat corn, too.
However, popped kernels or dried corn are not recommended because too much chewing of these kernels will not do the goat’s teeth any good.
You should keep the amount of popcorn you feed your goat to a minimum. As mentioned earlier, the high calcium concentration in popcorn is quite unhealthy for goats and can even lead to severe problems if overfed. You just need to monitor the amount of popcorn your goats are consuming closely, and it should be perfectly fine.
It’s also okay if you want to feed them unpopped kernels, but as mentioned before, you should keep it to a minimum because too much chewing of popcorn kernels can quickly wear down a goat’s teeth. Just because goats can eat almost anything doesn’t mean they should eat anything. Although popcorn waste was shown to be quite beneficial to goats, Keep popcorn consumption low, and your goats will live a very happy and healthy life.
Can goats eat popcorn?
As we’ve seen here, there are many ups and downs to feeding popcorn to goats. Before you decide to make popcorn a permanent part of your goat’s diet, you may want to understand some of the pros and cons of doing so.
Can goats eat popcorn? What are the pros?
Feeding Popcorn to Goats – The Pros
Popcorn produces heat when consumed. While this may not be great in the summer, what better way to keep body temperature at the right temperature than feed corn to your goats in the winter? Giving your goats the right amount of popcorn during the colder months will keep them comfortable and provide extra protection for the winter.
Corn is also a very inexpensive way to feed your goats, even more so than goat feed. Again, it should not make up more than 50% of a goat’s diet, but you can mix popcorn with the feed to make it last longer than it would otherwise. This is a great way to feed your goats and save money at the same time.
Goats love their corn! You don’t need to worry if they’ll eat it or not because most goats will wolf down popcorn like it’s nothing. You can never go wrong; goats love corn, and it’s cheap, so you can save money while feeding them the food they love!
Feeding Popcorn to Goats – The Downside
Unfortunately, there are some downsides to feeding goats popcorn. First, the aforementioned heat or calories. While this may be a good thing for goats in the winter, it can be dangerous and uncomfortable for them in the summer. If your goats eat too much popcorn, they will get hot and nauseous, which is a problem you definitely don’t want to have.
In addition, corn of any kind contains a lot of calcium. Too much can lead to urinary stones, a disease that can make urination and reproduction extremely difficult, if not impossible. Yes, it has been shown to kill animals very quickly, so you will want to avoid it at all costs.
Is popcorn bad for goats?
Popcorn and corns, in general, are not toxic to goats. If goats consume popcorn in moderation, they will not have any adverse reactions in any way. Goats love popcorn and should be fed it from time to time.
Corn is high in calcium and also releases calories when consumed. This is why it can sometimes be a bit of a problem if consumed in high proportions. It is best to avoid this.
What is a good snack for goats?
In addition to the regular feeds that goats like, such as hay or alfalfa hay, or whole grains, goats also like to chew on some healthy treats and snacks from time to time.
These healthy snacks and treats can include ripe fruits or nutrient-rich vegetables such as watermelon, cantaloupe and spinach.
In addition, goats enjoy sweet potatoes, peanut butter, oats, pumpkin, and acorns. However, all of these snacks must be fed to them in very balanced, moderated amounts.
Overfeeding can lead to a variety of adverse health consequences.
How should I feed popcorn to my goats?
There is no particular way to feed popcorn to goats. The best way to mix it is to mix a little popcorn with the goat feed and “water” it in some way to make the goat feed go farther.
As mentioned earlier, this is a great way to save money. Mix in some popcorn kernels, but make sure the ratio of feed to kernels is a little higher.
As we’ve already discussed, goat feed should contain less than 50% popcorn kernels, so they don’t overeat and get sick.
Be careful when measuring quantities, and you’ll be glad you’re ready to go. You may even want to have a discussion with your veterinarian and discuss whether or not your goats can eat unpopped popcorn because, as mentioned above, too much popcorn can wreak havoc on your goats’ teeth.
If you prefer to feed popcorn to your goat, the best way to do this is as an occasional snack or a special treat for your goat.
If you have some leftover from a movie night, you can take it out and let your goats eat it until they are full (it can also be fed to the chickens!). Monitor closely how much they eat and you shouldn’t have any problems.
Can goats eat popcorn? – Final words
Goats love popcorn and go crazy when they eat it, including corns too. Therefore, it is relatively safe to say that you can occasionally offer popcorn as a treat for your goats.
However, as discussed in this article, overfeeding popcorn or corns can affect your goat’s health. Try to avoid this by feeding popcorn or corn as little as possible.
