Peaches are believed to have originated in China thousand years ago.
Scientifically known as Prunus Persica, peach is a small fruit that can be eaten raw or can be added to recipes.
Fresh, juicy peaches can make a great healthy snack for humans but are they safe for goats?
Can goats eat peaches?
Goats can safely eat peaches in small to moderate amounts except its seeds. The flesh of peaches is not toxic to goats but kernels (pits), leaves and stems of peaches are not good for goats. So, remove the pits while feeding peaches to goats and avoid allowing them to feed on peach stems and leaves.
Since peaches are juicy and tasty fruits, goats like to relish them. Peaches can make a good nutritional source for goats.
Usually, it is observed that the goats can eat the peaches and spit out the pits but If your goat accidentally eats the peaches and you are not sure about whether they have spit out the pit or not, observe them closely for the whole day.
Look out for the unusual behaviour or symptoms and if necessary seek help from the vet.
Nutritional Value of Peaches
Peaches are a powerhouse of nutrition. They are rich in vitamins, fibers, anti-oxidants, minerals and several other plant compounds.
Antioxidants known to help in reducing aging and prevent the oxidative damage of the body. Fresh and juicy fruits are known to have more antioxidants.
One medium sized peach can provide about 2 gram of fibers that can be a great addition to digestible fibers to the digestive system of goats.
Half of these fibers are insoluble in nature and can help in moving food through the intestine.
Nutritional value of 1 medium sized peach (approx 150 grams)
| Calories | 58 |
| Protein | 1 grams |
| Fat | Less than 1 gram |
| Fiber | 2 grams |
| Vitamin C | 17% of DV |
| Carbohydrates | 15 grams |
| Iron | 0.4 mg |
Can goats eat peach plant, stem, and leaves?
Except the mature peach fruit, other parts like stems, leaves and pits of fruit are harmful to the goats and other livestock so avoid feeding them to goats.
Peach plant belongs to the genus prunus. The Prunus family consists of more than 200 species of plants and shrubs.
Almost all of these species have cyanogenic glycosides prunasin, prulaurasin and amygdalin stored in the vacuole of plant cells.
These chemicals do not harm the plant functioning but when goats or any other livestock chew on these plants, the vacuole membrane breaks and these glycosides become free.
Other enzymes in plant cells along with the microorganisms in livestock’s stomach hydrolyze these glycosides into hydrogen cyanide, which is a very toxic substance.
Some livestocks like horses and pigs have an acidic stomach and are less susceptible to this process but generally it is better to avoid feeding peach leaves, plants and fruit pits to the goats and other livestocks. [source]
Can goats eat peach peelings?
Goats can safely eat peelings of peaches since it is not toxic to them. Like other peels of citrus fruits, peaches peeling can be given to the goats.
Are peach pits poisonous to goats?
Yes, peach pit and other parts of peach plant [except fruit] are not safe for the goats. It contains glycosides wich hydrolyzed into the cyanide in the stomach of livestocks. Though it occurs in trace amount, hydrogen cyanide can be a potent toxins for goats and other livestock animals.
Overall, peach fruit can be a good source of nutrition to the goats but its pits (kernel), stems, leaves and other parts of the plant should be avoided since they are toxic to the goats and other livestock animals.
