Do Goats Eat Native Plants? Grazing Goats on Native Grasslands

Do goats eat native plants? That’s a question we hear often at Hamilton Native Outpost — and in this video, we’re answering it from the field.

We’re out on a native grassland that’s currently being grazed by goats, primarily for brush and weed control. But goats don’t just eat brush — so what else are they grazing, and how do native grasses and wildflowers respond?

In this walkthrough, we take a close look at:

• What native plants goats prefer and what they avoid
• How goats interact with warm-season native grasses like bluestems and panic grasses and some of the forbs like Ashy Sunflower and Grass-leaved Goldenrod
• Why grazing intensity matters — and how long rest periods support regrowth
• How native grasslands handle grazing pressure thanks to deep roots and drought resilience
• Why native grasslands can work not just for cattle and bison, but for goats too

This is a real-world example of using goats as a management tool while still maintaining a healthy, resilient native grassland. The takeaway? Native grasslands can absolutely be part of a grazing system for goats and other small ruminants — when managed thoughtfully.

READ OUR BLOG POST ABOUT RUNNING A MICRO DAIRY ON NATIVES

WATCH OUR VIDEO ABOUT GOATS CLEARING BRUSH LIKE CHAMPIONS