# Does Stinging Nettle sting goats?



## JamieH

This is probably a dumb question because I know they can eat it, so I assume it doesn't bother their mouths. The reason I'm asking is because I've noticed my girls stomping their feet when they walk through the stinging nettle in the outside part of their pen. I've mowed it down, but it just keeps coming up. I've also noticed they avoid it. I hate the stuff. It stings me for sure.


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## fmg

My goats will not eat it.


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## JamieH

Mine don't either, but I've seen meat goats eating tons of it. I know people can eat it to, but apparently you have to do something to it first.


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## NubianSoaps.com

You have to boil it to take out the sting and no it does not taste good, very astringent. My goats also won't eat it. But mine don't seem to be bothered walking through it. Vicki


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## [email protected]

Mine eat it, but not til it gets tall. I prefer it short :biggrin ....in quiche.


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## punchiepal

Cut it with a scythe and let it lay for 24 hrs, then it doesn't sting. It is reportedly good for them and us. 
Mine love it and will eat it or Canadian thistle anytime when they have the chance.


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## fmg

If you're ever around here, can you drop one of your goats off at my place for awhile, so they teach the others to eat that stuff? Nettles only grow in very wet areas like right next to creeks, here, so the goats don't ever Have to walk through it around here.


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## smithurmonds

I grew up in Western WA where stinging nettles abound. As a kid I was always told that deer are immune, so perhaps the goats are as well? There was a specific reason why, but it's been so long I can't remember what it was.


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## tmfinley

We have stinging nettle everywhere, 3 feet tall in some places. The goats can walk through it fine with out it stinging them. Mostly they ignore it when browsing but once in a while I see someone eat a few stalks no problem. It is super nutritious. Some years I will harvest and dry it and the goats love it as a hay! My husband loves the stuff too.


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## Caprine Beings

Once Stinging Nettle is dry it does not sting. It is the only way our goats eat it. Helpful fro dietary issues, great for skin issues when eaten, use it in salves and teas. Stinging nettle is high in Vitamins and minerls 
Nancy if I were closer I would come collect all that from you I can never collect enough to last til the next growing season.
Tam


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## fmg

Oh, I should take pictures of this one spot on my place. There are 3 fish runs, which someone is renting, but the center one is very hard to get into and clean, etc, so they just shut the water off to it. well, it is completely filled with nettles!! Maybe I should make some "nettle hay" this year too!


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## fmg

Here we go. This is taken in late fall, so it's all dead, but you can see where I'm talking. Almost everything in that center run is nettles!


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## dragonlair

Mine won't touch those or the thistles. I wish they would.


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## doublebowgoats

There are two kinds of nettle that I know of. There is one kind that grows here in Texas, Arkansas and thereabouts, and another kind that looks a lot different. I wonder if they affect the goats differently?


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## punchiepal

I read an article that said in sheep the ones that eat thistle, the trait is/can be passed on to the offspring. Not sure how true that is in goats, but we have seen family lines that seem to eat more of it than other families.


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## LLB101

I found a journal article on a study on this recently... 
I'll see if I can find it again, but yes, the bottom line was that what the dam ate affected the offsprings' food preferences... trippy, eh?


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## LLB101

Found it!
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159112000238


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## LSP Farm

My goats eat it, they ate it to the point that I haven't seen any grow in years.. But now that I opened my mouth watch it pop up this summer. Ha!


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