Last updated on February 5th, 2022
My recent visit to a farm took me by surprise, and even as a teacher, I came to learn several new things about the animal kingdom (from the farming side of things).
As a teacher of our local elementary school, I had planned to take our second graders to a farm. I imagined it would help them learn about farm animals, how they’re cared for, and their food habits.
It was an exciting trip, and along with the children, I learned several new things about animals. I knew that numerous animals eat lemongrass as it’s rich in iron, calcium, vitamin c, and magnesium.
It’s often fed to farm animals like goats to improve the health of their bones and even to increase the lactose concentration in lactating goats.
Animals that eat lemongrass:
- Goats
- Rabbits
- Chickens
- Rhinos
- Guinea Pigs
- Parrots
- Gophers
I always thought lemongrass was a condiment! My notion about animal feeding habits changed, and I discovered several animals that do eat lemongrass.
1. Goats
Domesticated goats are given a regular diet of lemongrass to improve their bone health.
Lemongrass is rich in iron since this is necessary to enhance the muscle growth and breeding capacity of goats.
Additionally, it’s given more to lactating goats to help improve the quality of milk produced.
Research shows that goats that are given a regular diet of lemongrass produce milk with a higher amount of unsaturated fatty acids.
As a result, the milk is easier to digest and can be consumed with fewer problems like cramps, bloating, and stomach pain.
2. Rabbits
Rabbits also love to eat lemongrass. Pet rabbits can be given lemongrass as the creatures love to chew on the tough stalks of this herb.
You’ll see them avoiding the leaves of lemongrass because it has a citrus smell. Rabbits usually avoid anything sour and they’ll also avoid citrus fruits as well.
Lemongrass has a citrus flavor, but the stalks tend to have less flavor. Rabbits can also chew on dry lemongrass stalks, which helps them maintain the length and strength of their teeth.
If you have pet rabbits, then you can give them lemongrass regularly. But it should be given only as a supplement along with their regular food.
Another thing to consider is that you should only give them the stalks and not the bulbs or the leaves, as these can be harmful to them.
3. Chickens
Chickens can also be given lemongrass to help them maintain their health and receive adequate nutrition.
Lemongrass is rich in antioxidants that are necessary to enable the chicken to maintain the health of their gut.
Some studies also show that chickens that have been fed lemongrass regularly have laid more eggs than those on a diet devoid of lemongrass.
However, this has also been proven with chicken on a regular corn diet.
4. Rhinos
Rhinoceros are herbivores and are known to be voracious eaters. Hence, they must consume a large amount of grass to maintain their body weight.
Not all rhinos will eat twigs or consume tree branches. Therefore, they’ll have to forage for grass that’s short and grow close to the ground.
Research and studies show that the regular grass that grows in forests is often devoid of the necessary nutrients that rhinos need to maintain strong muscles and good bone health.
To supplement their nutritional requirement, rhinos, especially those kept in zoos or animal reserves, are given a regular supply of lemongrass.
However, in the wild, the rhinos don’t seek out lemongrass to supplement their diet.
Instead, it usually makes up the diet of the rhinos that are bred in captivity.
5. Guinea pigs
If you have a pet guinea pig, you might feel that lemongrass is an excellent food for this animal because they can chew on the stalk and eat the leaves.
Guinea pigs are known to love lemongrass, and it can be an excellent supplementary food for them because of its high iron and calcium content.
You can give fresh and dried lemongrass to your pet guinea pig. But you must be mindful of the quantity that you’re feeding them.
Your pet shouldn’t eat it more than two or three times a week as it might prove to be harmful.
But otherwise, lemongrass can provide your pet with all the necessary minerals that it requires for maintaining strong bones.
6. Parrots
Parrots also love to eat lemongrass, especially the bulb of the herb. The common notion is that the citrus flavor of the spice will act as a deterrent, and your pet parrot might not like lemongrass.
But in reality, parrots love to chew on lemongrass stalk. Along with that, you’ll see that the bird will also chew on the bulb of lemongrass, which is tough and fibrous.
Furthermore, lemongrass is rich in vitamin C, and this is necessary for birds that only eat seeds like parrots, cockatoos, and so on.
Thus, by providing your pet parrot with a steady supply of lemongrass, you’ll ensure that it receives all the necessary minerals and vitamins to maintain a healthy body.
7. Gophers
Gophers are herbivores, and they’re known to forage on vegetation. Anyone who has faced a gopher infestation will tell you that these burrowers always target the vegetable plant.
Their favorites are always ones with bulbs because these creatures love to dig their teeth in the bulbs of these fleshy plants.
Lemongrass is one of the plants that attract gophers, and the intense citrus smell is also attractive to these powerful diggers.
These animals love to chew on the stalks of the lemongrass, and they’ll eat all parts of the plant, both the stem, leaves, and bulb.
If you plan to sow a bed of lemongrass in your garden, you should check for gophers, as these creatures can destroy an entire crop.
