Can Cows Eat Bananas?

As animal caretakers, we want to ensure that our animals never go hungry, and that they eat nutritious and healthy food. Here are a few things to consider when asking the question: “Can Cows Eat Banana?”

As known herbivores, Can Cows Eat Bananas?

Cows eating bananas may seem silly like something off a nursery rhyme or fairy tale, but bananas are actually very beneficial for cows, and they love to eat them. Whether as a treat or part of their regular diet, cows will eat bananas. Whether they eat the meat of the fruit itself or the peel/rind, our big bovine buddies will certainly enjoy their bananas, and improve their health eating as well. Even the leaves of the banana stalks serve their purpose to fill the cows’ bellies and provide nourishment.

What are Bananas?

The long, crescent, edible fruit we know as bananas are actually a form of berry produced by different kinds of plants under the genus Musa. Produced, cultivated, and available worldwide, these delectable fruits are specifically found in warmer, more tropical climates. To distinguish further from the more common sweet dessert bananas which are eaten raw, there are bulkier variations called plantains, which are normally used as ingredients to cook or bake with.

Nutritional Value of Bananas for Cows

Bananas offers excellent nourishment and nutrition for your cow, and their nutritional breakdown is as follows (per 100 g):

Protein	1.09 g
Fat	0.33 g
Carbohydrate	22.84 g
Vitamin C	8.7 mg
Calcium	5 mg
Calories	89 cal

Benefits of Eating Bananas for Cows

1. Bananas are mostly water – Since these crescent yellow berries are 80 percent water, they provide excellent hydration and nourishment to those big bellied bessies. Cows need water for nourishment from the age of maturity at around six months.

2. Bananas are high in Potassium – With around 358 mg of Potassium to every 100 grams of bananas, cows benefit from the abundance of the mineral. Those bovine beasts of burden can improve their reproductive performance, immune function, and general health and wellness, just with their intake of Potassium.

3. Bananas help cows improve milk production – With the perfect combination of water and Potassium, both of which are essential to milk production, dairy cows will produce better quality milk than without it.

4. Bananas help cows enhance their growth – Cows’ cells, tissue, and organs, improve drastically with the concoction of Calcium, Potassium, and Vitamin C. Their bones grow stronger, supporting the rest of their bovine anatomy.

The Danger of Cows Eating Bananas

Too much of anything is always bad, as they say. This goes the same with cows eating bananas. Too much of bananas can cause gastrointestinal complications such as indigestion and bloat. This applies to any drastic change in cows’ diet, which is usually hay and grass.

In Summary : Cows enjoy and benefit from Bananas, but not too much

Whether its for its high water content, high potassium levels, improved milk production, or overall health and wellness improvement, cows will definitely benefit (and enjoy the tasty treat) of eating bananas. However, too much of it will lead to gut problems, so it’s always best to feed these to your bovine buddies in moderation. Too much of a good thing is never good.