Can Goats Eat Mango? Is it Safe?

Fruit isn’t something that goats in the wild get all of the time, outside of some few berries or maybe an apple that has fallen from a tree.

But that doesn’t stop owners of domestic goats from supplementing the diets of their furry friends with a few choice pieces of fruit.

Goats love fruits, but not all kinds of fruit are safe for goats. How about something tropical like mangoes? Can goats eat mango and is it safe for them?

Yes, goats can eat mangoes safely. Mangoes have a variety of vitamins and minerals that goats need, but they should only get them rarely since they are so sugary.

Based on sheer variety and popularity, mangoes are rivaled only by bananas when it comes to tropical fruits.

Once rare in the United States, they are now a staple at most grocery stores. Some folks even grow their own!

Wherever you are getting them from, you can feed them to your goats, but you need to keep them as a treat only, not as a usual part of goats’ diet.

I’ll tell you everything you need to know about making mangoes a part of the menu for your goats below…

What Benefits Does Mango Have for Goats?

Mangoes are surprisingly healthy if you look at the vitamin and mineral content they contain, and though they’re really just a treat for goats they are still one that they can derive many benefits from.

All together, the nutrients present in mangoes will improve all sorts of metabolic processes, cellular health and regeneration, nervous system function, eye health, organ health, and the quality of a goat’s skin and fur.

The vitamins in mangoes particularly will also help goats better absorb minerals in their diet, too.

Mangoes are also a wonderful way to give goats a quick burst of energy, and not just from the excitement they have for these sweet and succulent tropical fruits…

Mangoes are pretty much just carbohydrates, and though goats can’t be allowed to eat too many it is a great way to help them deal with stress and harsh weather.

Nutritional Profile of Mango

Mangoes contain a pretty robust nutritional profile of both vitamins and minerals.

Looking at the vitamin content first, we see that mangoes are a solid source of vitamin A and beta carotene, and most of the B-complex vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyroxidine, and folate.

We also see they have a great amount of vitamin C backed up by a little bit of vitamins E and K, and lastly a little bit of choline.

The mineral content isn’t quite as impressive but is similarly varied, and mangoes can supply plenty of copper, magnesium, manganese and potassium to goats along with calcium, iron, phosphorus selenium and zinc.

Considering that goes don’t need much motivation to chow down on these delicious fruits, it is a great thing that they can get so many nutrients from them!

Feeding mangos to goats

Is Mango Safe for Goats Raw?

Yes, mango is totally safe for your goats raw. In fact this is the best way to serve it to them since it will contain the best possible amount of vitamins and minerals.

And don’t worry, even the firmest mangoes are easy for goats to eat assuming they are ripe.

Are Mango Skins Safe for Goats to Eat?

Yes, the most goats seem to avoid the skins when they can. It’s also worth mentioning that goats do not seem vulnerable to any sort of irritation or allergic reaction that occurs in some people when exposed to the oils found in the skins of certain mango cultivars.

If your goats want to eat the skins, they can, but if they don’t, just peel them and don’t worry about it.

Are Mango Seeds Edible by Goats?

Yes, although these seeds are typically too large and too tough for goats to eat as they are.

I suppose it’s possible to crush or break up a mango seed to make it more appealing and easily edible by your goats, but I honestly don’t think it’s worth the trouble.

Can You Cook Mango to Give it to Goats?

Yes, you can. Cooked mango is fine for goats so long as it does not have any other added ingredients, but you should know that this will significantly deplete the nutrition found in the flesh. Not a good move, so I advise that you don’t waste your time.

How Often Can Goats Have Mango?

Goats should only have mangoes periodically as a treat. Mangoes, while nutritious and certainly wholesome, are just way too sugary to be a regular part of any goat’s diet.

For this reason, I recommend that you give goats no more than a small serving of mangoes once a week at most.

And we’re not just worried about weight gain here: eating sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods can cause some pretty serious health problems for goats, problems I will tell you about in the next section…

Can Mango Cause Problems for Goats?

Yes, they sure can. Even though they’re generally healthy and non-toxic, mangoes can cause major digestive troubles for goats in the form of rumen acidosis.

To be clear, this isn’t a problem specific to mangoes as anytime a goat gets too many carbs in its diet, usually in the form of grains, this malady is a potential outcome.

At any rate, this condition is marked by a falling pH level in the goat’s rumen which disrupts the bacteria they depend on to digest their food.

Indigestion, bloating, diarrhea, and eventually a potentially fatal inflammation of the intestines can occur.

This is a really serious problem for goats, so don’t give in to their begging for more sweet stuff, and it never feed them mangoes more than occasionally in small amounts!

Goats Should Only Be Served Plain Mango

Mangoes are delicious enough for your goats just as they are: you don’t need to give them mangoes that are prepared with any added sugar or syrup, or any dessert that is made with mangoes.

This will always be disastrous for your goats, and best case scenario, it’ll give them serious indigestion and diarrhea.

Also, mangoes are some of the most heavily treated fruits there are when it comes to pesticides, and appealing mangoes isn’t sufficient to completely eliminate traces of these chemicals.

Chemicals, I remind you, which can be extremely hazardous to go especially long-term. If at all possible, make sure you’re buying organic mangoes if you aren’t growing your own.

How Should You Serve Mango to your Herd?

The best way to give mango to your goats is in chunks. How large or small these chunks should be depends on both the size of your animals and the type of mango.

Mangoes that are firmer should be cut up into smaller pieces, as it should be any mango if it is being fed too much smaller goats.

The idea is that you want the individual pieces to be easily manageable and easily swallowed by your herd.

Also, don’t hesitate to peel the mango entirely if your goats don’t like the skin, and remove that giant seed and get rid of it.

Is Mango Safe for Baby Goats?

Mango is safe for baby goats, but cautiously. You should only let baby goats try mango once they’re old enough to be eating solid foods all the time.

They shouldn’t be nursing still, or nursing and eating a few solids. Their digestive system is just too sensitive at that time.

Also, that intense sweetness of mangoes can cause problems by itself, so you want to limit the quantity you allow baby goats to have even more compared to adults.

As always, let them try just a little tiny bit and then observe to make sure they don’t start suffering any discomfort.

Always Clean Up Any Leftover Mangoes

Chances are you won’t have any leftover mango to clean up because goats tend to really love sweet stuff, but in case there are any skins, seeds, or little chunks left, you’ve got to pick them up and dispose of them.

Mangoes are incredibly aromatic, and they will quickly attract all sorts of pests. Also, if the bits begin to rot and then one of your goats comes back around later to eat them, that might make them sick. Don’t risk it, clean up!