{"id":4445,"date":"2025-11-12T02:52:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T08:52:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/?p=4445"},"modified":"2025-11-12T02:52:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T08:52:19","slug":"feeding-prickly-pear-cactus-to-goats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/feeding-prickly-pear-cactus-to-goats\/","title":{"rendered":"Feeding Prickly Pear Cactus to Goats"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>(Photographer Unknown)<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"236\" data-end=\"251\">Introduction<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"253\" data-end=\"399\">Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia) is an important natural resource in arid parts of the world. It is adapted to low water availability and poor soils.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"401\" data-end=\"416\">The Details<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"418\" data-end=\"870\">Traditionally, prickly pear cactus has been used as a fruit, a vegetable, and as forage. Prickly pear cactus may be used as forage for goats, but this is variable and depends on the history of the land as well as the natural availability of prickly pear. Prickly pear may provide over 35% of the daily crude protein requirements for goats in some situations. For balance, pads should be paired with roughage (e.g., grass hay), and introduced gradually.<\/p>\n<p>Additional Reading:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Feeding-Prickly-Pear-to-Goats.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Feeding Prickly Pear to Goats<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"tiled-gallery type-rectangular tiled-gallery-unresized\" data-original-width=\"768\" data-carousel-extra='null' itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageGallery\" > <div class=\"gallery-row\" style=\"width: 768px; height: 415px;\" data-original-width=\"768\" data-original-height=\"415\" > <div class=\"gallery-group images-1\" style=\"width: 477px; height: 415px;\" data-original-width=\"477\" data-original-height=\"415\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/feeding-prickly-pear-cactus-to-goats\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"473\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"411\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"4449\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1024,889\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Goat with prickly pear\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Goat with prickly pear&lt;\/p&gt; \" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia-400x347.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia-500x434.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia.jpg?w=473&#038;h=411&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia-400x347.jpg 400w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia-768x667.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-and-prickly-pear-opuntia-500x434.jpg 500w\" width=\"473\" height=\"411\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"473\" data-original-height=\"411\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"Goat with prickly pear\" alt=\"Goat with prickly pear\" style=\"width: 473px; height: 411px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Goat with prickly pear <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <div class=\"gallery-group images-2\" style=\"width: 291px; height: 415px;\" data-original-width=\"291\" data-original-height=\"415\" > <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/feeding-prickly-pear-cactus-to-goats\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb-2\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"287\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"192\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"4450\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1024,683\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Goat with prickly pear, Kaleb\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Goat with prickly pear, Kaleb&lt;\/p&gt; \" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb-400x267.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb-500x333.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb.jpg?w=287&#038;h=192&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goat-eating-opuntia-kaleb-500x333.jpg 500w\" width=\"287\" height=\"192\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"287\" data-original-height=\"192\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"Goat with prickly pear, Kaleb\" alt=\"Goat with prickly pear, Kaleb\" style=\"width: 287px; height: 192px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Goat with prickly pear, Kaleb <\/div> <\/div> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-item tiled-gallery-item-large\" itemprop=\"associatedMedia\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/feeding-prickly-pear-cactus-to-goats\/goats-and-opuntia\/\" border=\"0\" itemprop=\"url\"> <meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"287\"> <meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"215\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" data-attachment-id=\"4451\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"960,720\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Goats and Opuntia, Forest and Kim Starr\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Goats and Opuntia, Forest and Kim Starr&lt;\/p&gt; \" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia-400x300.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia-500x375.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia.jpg?w=287&#038;h=215&#038;ssl=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia.jpg 960w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-Opuntia-776x584.jpg 776w\" width=\"287\" height=\"215\" loading=\"lazy\" data-original-width=\"287\" data-original-height=\"215\" itemprop=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/image\" title=\"Goats and Opuntia, Forest and Kim Starr\" alt=\"Goats and Opuntia, Forest and Kim Starr\" style=\"width: 287px; height: 215px;\" \/> <\/a> <div class=\"tiled-gallery-caption\" itemprop=\"caption description\"> Goats and Opuntia, Forest and Kim Starr <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!-- close group --> <\/div> <!-- close row --> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(Photographer Unknown) Introduction Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia) is an important natural resource in arid parts of the world. It is adapted to low water availability and poor soils. The Details Traditionally, prickly pear cactus has been used as a fruit, a vegetable, and as forage. Prickly pear cactus may be used as forage for goats, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4446,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[27],"class_list":["post-4445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animals","tag-uses-for-plants"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/goats-and-cactus.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4445"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6889,"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4445\/revisions\/6889"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opuntiads.com\/oblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}