Why Do Goats Eat Paper?

Why Do Goats Eat Paper?

Goats are herbivores animals. They eat plants, grass, or anything made from wood. It’s not a surprise that goats also eat paper. Goats eat paper because of its smell. Since paper is made from wood, the goat thinks that it is also one of the plants. Paper is specifically made from pulp which contains vegetable fiber.

There’s nothing wrong for goats eating paper because they can also digest it. They have well-built digestive system so they don’t usually experience constipation or diarrhea when they eat paper or any other plants. However, paper with ink can be dangerous to the goats because the ink contain chemicals that might damage the digestive system of the goat.

Goats have special stomach because it acts like a huge fermentation jar. This means that whatever they eat (plants, grass, paper) can be easily digested because inside the stomach of the goats are bacteria that help digest what they feed. The bacteria give off proper nutrients to the goat’s system.

Goats are always willing to eat anything edible. They are browsing animals which means they can eat, chew, or nibble anything that resembles and smells like plants. They are also curious how these plants taste so they also give it a try and decide whether they are good to eat. Paper, being made from plants, emits an odor that attracts goats. Since they are curious animals, they will surely taste the paper.
Goats do not only consume paper but t they can also each cardboards and labels in cans. However, it must be noted that goats are not grazers. They don’t feed mostly on grass. Instead, they would prefer plants, woody shrubs, and trees. If you leave your goat in grassland, don’t be surprised if it will prefer eating the scattered paper rather than the grass.