# Queen Anne's Lace Hay



## Qadosh Adamah Lamanchas (Nov 2, 2012)

An enormous portion of my second cutting hay this year is loaded with queen anne's lace. Some of the bales are about 80% that and only 10% clover and 10% grass (fortunately, most are not of that ratio). My question was this: Is too much of it bad for goats? Is there any nutritional value in it?


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Are you completely sure it is Queen Anne's Lace, and NOT hemlock?

Queen Anne's Lace was once used as a contraceptive...I'd be concerned with fertility issues. If you have some meat animals that are going to be butchered, that would probably be who I'd feed it to, especially calves.


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## Qadosh Adamah Lamanchas (Nov 2, 2012)

Yes, it's definitely Queen Anne's Lace. I know they nibble on it through the summer, but I'm shocked how much of it is in my hay this year. As it's been a drought year, a lot of locals have a ton of it in their hay. I didn't start feeding this hay until after all of my does were bred, so would it cause an abortion or just affect ovulation?


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

No idea and this was humans using it so it may not even affect goats in the same way...? Maybe someone will come on here that knows more about it-I don't think it grows here, but hemlock definitely does, and they kind of sort of have a similar look i guess, which was why I asked.


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## Laverne (Apr 4, 2010)

I'm no expert but this info says goats have a low toxicity toward it but with drought and such who knows if the nitrates are higher than normal. I think I'd offer enough hay so the goats can pick through and decide to eat it or not, if that is possible. http://www.weeds.mangrovemountain.net/data/Ammi majus - Queen Anne's lace.pdf


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

That stuff grows like crazy in my area. My lawn is 60% Queen Annes Lace and some of it grows to be way over my head! (I'm 5'7") I was one of my late Grandmothers favorite flowers so I just let it grow. I have never seen my goats eat it fresh or in the hay.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

It is called Cow Parsley. Or wild carrot. Not a bad thing. We have none because our goats love it.


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## nlhayesp (Apr 19, 2012)

Maybe what I am calling Queen Annes Lace isn't, because my goats don't eat it in the pasture at all. I am going to have to look up "hemlock" and make sure thats not what I have!


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Mine is definitely QAL, but they just don't like it. My late herd refused to touch burdock but this current herd loves it. Different strokes for different...uh....goats I guess! :crazy

The roots can be used in place of carrots, BTW.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

My goats and other animals don't mess with Hemlock, either, thank goodness. Around here it only grows right by the creek and springs.


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