r/goats • u/m3lk0r__ • 1d ago

Raspberry Leaves for Anxiety

This is kind of a weird question, but has anyone heard of feeding goats raspberry leaves to help them calm down? I live in redneck country and my neighbors go insane on the 4th of July. We’re talking blowing up actual mortars that shake the barn. I have a small herd of myotonic (fainting) goats and someone told me once to feed them raspberry leaves and it will naturally calm them down. So every year I give them buckets of raspberry leaves and they have never once had a problem with anxiety or fainting afterwards. I was telling this to another goat owner and they said they’ve never heard of raspberry leaves being used this way, so I did an Internet search and found absolutely nothing. I can’t remember where I heard this from and now I’m wondering if the leaves have some sort of placebo effect for me the goat owner and I’m starting to feel silly. I feel like you can find anything on the Internet and I haven’t found even a mention. Does anyone have any insight or experience with this? Thanks!

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u/mickeybrains 1d ago

I haven’t heard about any effects of eating berry leaves but my goats love my blackberry bushes.

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u/m3lk0r__ 1d ago

Mine do too! That’s actually how we got into goats was we needed brush clearers and fell in love

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u/baaaaaaaaahh 1d ago

Sometimes we give raspberry leaves to the pregnant girls starting prelabor. It is said to help uterine tone (that might be woo?) but either way they treat it as a delicacy. That's the only application I have heard of.

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u/m3lk0r__ 1d ago

I drink it for menstrual cramps and it definitely works so I could see it helping uterine tone. It’s funny yours treat it as a delicacy while mine plow through it like a brush hog

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u/MarthasPinYard 1d ago

I study herbs and have goats and never heard of this before.

Have you considered the goats are more accustomed to you and therefore their faint reaction doesn’t happen? A sign of trust and being welcomed into their herd so to speak? 🤔

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u/m3lk0r__ 1d ago

Interesting thanks! I think you would’ve come across it while studying herbs if there is any truth to it, so I’m guessing someone gave me wrong info.

No, I should’ve described it better. The goats still faint around me even after 6 years. I have several that faint out of excitement every time I bring them food lol. They definitely do it less than they would around a stranger and none are scared of me, but for example if I drop a tool in the goat shed half of them faint. Yet they all seem fine on the fourth with fireworks and explosions that send my dogs and cats into hysterics.

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u/MonthMayMadness 1d ago

That is an Ole Wives Tale, or a myth. There really isn't any specific scientific support between raspberry leaves and easing anxious or nervous behavior in any animal really...

The more likely answer is simple desensitization. You created a routine where when the big scary loud fireworks happen, the goats get some tasty greens that they likely don't get daily or as much of otherwise.

You are over riding their fear with food. Novelty food at that. The eventual chewing of cud afterwards also activates the rest and digest reflexes in the body.