It is said that eating an apple every day will keep the doctor away from humans. In addition, if we ever face a stay in the hospital, we are always brought bunches of grapes. However, does this translate to feeding cattle you may have?
If you have limited cow grazing pastures, finding cow feed come the winter can be challenging. Thus, you can see why many cattle farmers seek alternative forms of cattle feed. In our guide, you can learn more about what do cows like to eat when it comes to fruit and what fruits are healthy for them.
By the end, you’ll have an idea can cows eat strawberries or can cows eat oranges. First, however, you’ll have a better understanding of how a cow’s diet is affected by cows eating grapes and if milk production changes from apples fed to cows. (Read Can Cows Swim)
Can Cows Eat Apples?
Apples especially are a favorite fruit of cows. Cows love apples to where, if given an abundance of them, they won’t know when to stop, which is where the troubles begin.
Apples need to be fed in moderation as a potentially fatal condition known as acidosis can result from cows eating too much apples.
Cut or smash into small pieces before feeding them to cows to prevent choking is recommended.
Cows lack upper incisors, unlike horses; therefore, they could put a full apple in their mouth intact and possibly choke as a result.
Will Half-Fermented Apples Affect My Cows?
Fallen apples that have partially fermented may not be high on your favorite foods, but cows love them and benefit from them.
These include promoting proper digestion and controlling the acidity of the stomach.
Giving your cow a couple of partially fermented apples might be helpful as part of their varied diet.
What Other Foods Do Cows Like To Eat?
Nothing appeals to cows more than the delicious flavor of seasonal fruits. Because of this, it’s challenging to keep them out of your fruit trees and apple orchard.
If you’re searching for a lovely, fruity treat for cows, the following might be something to consider.
Feed Berries and Increase Milk Yield
Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries might appear strange to feed your cattle, although these fruits offer many benefits for cows as they do for humans.
Antioxidant-rich strawberries help to strengthen the immune system.
Raspberries are rich in vitamin A and have nutritional fiber in their stalks and stems.
While blueberries offer a good supply of nutrients, especially when forage is low, besides the antioxidants, they can help increase natural glucose and thus help increase milk yields from dairy cows. (Read Why Do Goats Wag Their Tails)
Citrus Fruits
Oranges are among the most common fruits offered to cows whole or as an addition to their dry feed.
Oranges and other citrus fruits, such as grapefruit, are rich in vitamins and nutrients and have an antibacterial effect on a cow’s digestive system.
Cows love oranges as tasty treats, and oranges happen to be incredibly nutrient- and vitamin-rich.
Feeding cows oranges add fiber. It also will be supporting proper antimicrobial growth in their digestive tract.
Orange peels are rich in essential oils, like d-limonene, which support healthy digestion and eliminate pathogenic microorganisms.
Can Cattle Eat Corn?
Sweet corn is an excellent source of feed and energy for milk cows or beef cattle. They will cheerfully eat everything, from the corn kernels to the cornstalks.
Corn silage is usually used to supplement the grass in your cow pastures.
Can Cows Eat Pineapples?
Cows love pineapple, which is good because it helps boost their immune system and improve digestion.
Cows enjoy fresh pineapple so much that they’ll munch through the entire fruit, including the tough rind and spiky top.
Remember that pineapples are full of sugars, so feeding moderation is required.
Stone Fruits
Stone fruits like plums and mangoes are great options despite having enormous pips. Cattle will cheerfully consume the full fruit with little concern. However, be cautious of pip size as this could lead to choking.
What Fruits Shouldn’t Cows Eat?
You’d think that as cows eat apples, and cows can eat almost any other fruit, then feeding from your cherry trees would be suitable.
However, it isn’t so simple. When cherry tree leaves wilt, they release hydrogen cyanide (HCN) molecules (known as prussic acid). HCN poisoning can be deadly to ruminant animals, such as your beef cattle.
What Can Cows Eat?
Most cow meals are high in protein, which helps them gain muscle and produce high-quality milk. Other foods supply nutrients for milk production and muscular growth.
Cows sometimes enjoy a nibble. They’ll eat anything, but in-season fruit will make them eager for your pasture visits. Cows may eat dried, cooked, or green fruits.
Sliced, whole, or with peels. Common cow fruits include watermelon, grapes, bananas, apples, blueberries, and grapefruits.
Watermelon
Cows can eat the rind, the flesh, and the seeds of a watermelon. Generally, cows love watermelon, and thanks the high water content aid in providing the cow with additional fluids, which is crucial during the hot summer weather.
It can be fed in many ways, such as straight from the garden, cold food, or frozen food on hot days.
Banana
Bananas are an inexpensive source of potassium and are suitable for cows. Bananas contain B12, B6, potassium, and magnesium.
Bananas improve calf immunity. Cows can eat cooked or fresh bananas or ones that are dehydrated, green, ripe, whole, cut, and with or without peel. (Read What Weeds Can Rabbits Eat)
Carrots
If you wash and preserve the carrots for at least two weeks before giving them to your cows, it lessens the chance of scouring (or diarrhea) from the water and fiber content.
Butter oil, a source of vital antioxidants that is a fat-soluble antioxidant source and found in carrots, makes them a perfect addition to a cow’s diet.
Along with vitamins that support healthy development in cows, carrots also contain vitamins C, K, and A.
Feed carrots at ground level as cows are prone to choking if fed differently because the carrots’ form and texture make them hard to chew and swallow.
Kiwi fruit
Cows benefit from nutrients in kiwi fruit when eaten in moderation along with traditional feed, yet they can get sick when eating overripe kiwi.
Kiwi is packed with Vitamin K, C, E, Potassium, and folate, which all support healthy growth and development.
Remember to mix kiwis with other feed at ground level to prevent digestive and choking risks.
Grapefruits
Cows can eat grapefruits and be fed fallen grapefruits as these are easier to digest.
Grapefruits provide cows with proteins, phosphorous, and calcium, as do other citrus fruits, along with Vitamin C, which supports a cow’s immune system.
Pumpkins
Feed cows leftover pumpkins to your cows as they offer a wealth of nutrition. You’ll find they eat the entire vegetable from the leftover or broken pumpkins.
Pumpkins provide valuable Vitamin A, E, and folate, supporting healthy vision and bone growth as part of a more balanced diet than other traditional feed.
Pears
Cows can eat pears that are fresh or dried. Pears have a high moisture content, so balance with dry feed. If cows eat too much food with a lot of water, they’ll not have stomach room or be hungry to eat other foods.
Pears can overripen and mold quickly, so always feed your cows mold-free pears.
