Courtesy of Danielle Langloism, Wikipedia CCLPlant Helps Prevent Internal Parasites
Parasites are an ongoing concern for goats and there’s good news on that front. The Agricultural Research Service reports that Chinese bush clover (Sericea lespedeza) is effective in controlling intestinal parasites, particularly barber pole worm.
The forage plant disrupts the reproductive cycle of parasites in the ruminant’s digestive tract. It can be added to the diet by planting or supplementing normal feeding with a bush clover dry hay or pellet.
One must be EXTREMEY careful when planting – or even THINKING of planting – Sericia Lespedeza! I t is a EXTREMEY invasive plant that will choke out other plants in it’s path. It is also high in tannins that will cause the soil to be unproductive to anything else. It is on the noxious weed list in several states (Kansas and Missouri have a huge problem with it), and spreads rapidy. It’s hard to kill, also.Farmers in the central US were paid to plan it in the 60’s and 70’s, and it was used as an erosion control ground cover by many state DOT’s, then later found to be invasive. Goats will eat it – but to a point – too maature, and even THEY avoid it. Just a warning to be VERY careful with this plant – you might get more then you want.
A lot of the foreign forage plants are ultra invasive so it’s ALWAYS imperative to do your homework before planting anything that’s not native to your area. Thanks for pointing it out so others without experience in these matters won’t inadvertently plant things that may cause problems down the road.