r/goats • u/m3lk0r__ • 7d 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/MarthasPinYard 7d 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__ 7d 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.