(CT) Goats die after choking on apples dumped in pen

[left-of-center2012]

SOUTHINGTON - A local farm owner is mourning the loss of three goats he said choked to death after eating whole apples dumped in their pen, according to WFSB. Longmeadow Farm was a refuge for families and even cancer patients as people were allowed to come up to the fence to pet and feed the animals, WFSB said.

"Everyone feeds them. Cornflakes, Cheerios, stuff like that and it's been real good for families and the neighborhood," farm owner Daniel True told WFSB.

But when he came home the other day to the farm located at the intersection of Mount Vernon Road and Prospect Street he found three of his goats dead after the animals apparently choked on whole apples someone had dumped into their pen, he said. He said mostly likely the person didn't realize that the apples need to be cut up before given to the goats. He is now planning to have more animals and a better fence by next spring.

Police are not investigating the incident. The community has reached out to see if they can help, True said. "They'll sponsor a new crowd of animals that I'll get," he said. "I'll fix the fence and make it bigger and better for next year."

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Goats-die-after-choking-on-apples-dumped-in-pen-14472231.php?src=ctphpln

[dem4decades]

1. That's sad. Who knew though, i wouldn't.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. I would never have guessed that goats couldn't

chew an apple safely.

[Seedersandleechers]

3. Maybe they were

Pygmy goats?

[Farmer-Rick]

4. I feed apples to my sheep without problems. They get one a day, when in season.

They just take bites out of them and chew them.

Maybe the goats died of bloat with apples still in their throats. Rapid diet changes or too much of a good thing can bloat up both sheep and goats. I can't understand why they wouldn't just bite them and chew them.

[samnsara]

5. i dont even feed the deer whole apples....