Pine branches for goats

Korean goat farmers use pineneedles to treat digestive disorders of their horned pets and as a dewormer. For them, deworming goats with pine branches is much cheaper than buying veterinary drugs. 

Scientists confirm the presence of the effect and offer this explanation for better understanding. First, let's look at tannins, or tannins, compounds with a bitter, astringent taste. The word tannin comes from the old German word for oak. This refers to the use of oak tannins to turn animal hides into leather. But tannins are used for more than just tanning hides. They are used in a wide variety of products and processes. Some of these include medical products, skin care products, and wine and beer clarification.

Tannins exist in two forms: hydrolyzed and condensed. Hydrolysable tannins are often called tannic acids. They break down in the goat's digestive tract and become easily digestible. And potentially toxic. Fortunately, there are not as many hydrolysable tannins as there are condensed tannins.

Condensed tannins bind to proteins and other nutrients and are poorly absorbed. They are found in a wide variety of plants with a high content in conifers - pine, spruce, cedar, fir. Please remember that some conifers, especially yew, are poisonous to goats.

Condensed tannins are also high in forage plants that goats often choose when looking closely at the pasture are chicory and plantain. Ruminants, if possible, often eat plants with high tannin content. 

Condensed tannins act as dangerous internal parasites in two ways, acting directly on worm larvae, suppressing their nutrition , viability, and reproduction rate. 

Condensed tannins act indirectly by binding to protein in the goat's rumen. This allows more protein to reach the abomasum and small intestine of the goat. Protein in the lower digestive tract strengthens the intestinal mucosa, making it more resistant to parasites. The extra protein also strengthens the goat's immune system. In addition, scientists believe that condensed tannin acts not only against intestinal parasites, but also against microorganisms that cause coccidiosis in goats. Coccidia control is especially important for kids after weaning. 

Dietary condensed tannins may increase resistance to bloating. Bloating occurs if a goat, for example, has received a lot of green stuff. The protein in the rumen stabilizes the foam, which traps gases so the goat can't burp them. By reducing the amount of soluble protein in the rumen, condensed tannin prevents the formation of persistent foam, thereby preventing bloating.

Will goats eat pine branches? With great pleasure. Fresh pine needles contain a lot of vitamin C, in addition to minerals and fiber, manganese. You can simply throw branches for adult goats, and for young goats, steam the needles in water for a day to wash out some of the tannins. Fresh branches are more nutritious and healthier than dried ones. Moderation is the key in this case, as with any feeding. Pine cones should not be given - pine seeds contain toxins that can cause liver damage, so you will need to monitor your goat if you suspect it has eaten pine cones.