Herbivores are not Vegetarians
Horse people are constantly shocked when they find out their beloved grazers are not, in fact, above supplementing their diet.
Herbivores are optimized to thrive on plants, but they will take what they can get…all animals are opportunistic feeders. (Humans most of all…we can eat anything except high cellulose vegetation, including several things toxic to other animals). And while herbivores shouldn’t eat a lot of meat…you shouldn’t feed ham to your bunny…
So lets get disturbing and talk about herbivorous animals eating…and apparently enjoying meat.
Someone’s Been in My Hen House
Some years back, a farmer in Iceland was, shall we say, not finding as many eggs as he thought. He set up a trail cam, convinced he had an arctic fox but unable to find where the critter was getting in.
The trail cam caught the culprit, alright…his horse! The coop was redesigned so that his nose would no longer fit, with a happy ending for everyone except the horse.
In fact, eggs are good for horses to the point where, yes, some people feed them. It’s particularly common in the Irish and English racehorse diet (also beer. Yes, beer. Stout, specifically. Horses love beer and are nearly impossible to get drunk). Most casual riders don’t feed them because they’re expensive, but they’re a good source of protein, improve coat quality, and can improve semen quality in stalions.
Horses will also eat eggs they find on the ground in their pasture…ground nesting birds are well behooved, pun intended, to avoid horse pastures!
Deer Are the Worst
This is the really disturbing one. There are numerous reports of deer eating…dead deer. Including their own fawns if they’re killed. This might be why prion disease is so common in deer. And deer with prion disease will eat each other’s antlers.
And if you want to be even more disturbed, I found a report of a deer finding a human corpse in the woods and…yup. Chowing down.
This probably means that deer will eat other dead animals.
Less disturbingly, male deer eat their own shed velvet, likely to recoup some of the nutrients “spent” on antler growth. (Side note: If you see a buck with antler velvet very late in the year, he likely has a testosterone deficiency). Deer also likely go for eggs when they have antlers to grow for the calcium in the shells.
Hares have also been caught engaging in cannibalism.
Feathered Herbivores are No Better
Herbivorous birds will also eat meat. One guy put out meat for omnivorous birds…and most of it was eaten by the lorikeets, who even chased off the omnivorous and carnivorous birds. Lorkieets normally eat pollen and nectar. Maybe they had a protein deficiency? Or maybe the unusual taste…
Ducks are also commonly seen as herbivorous, but the common mallard…and its close relation the domestic duck…are absolutely omnivorous, eating bugs and small fish. However, I’ve personally seen one eat a dead rat the dog didn’t want…
Keep the Cows Out of the Henhouse Too
Cows will also steal eggs from the chicken coop…and have been known to steal hatchlings too. This is despite the common wisdom of the internet that cows will get sick if they eat meat or, at best, get no nutrition from it. (The benefits of feeding eggs to horses shows that they certainly are digesting the eggs).
Cows onl typically eat meat if they’re particularly hungry or have a deficiency.
Sheep have also been caught eating dead seabirds when they’re on islands.
Makes me wonder what Chincoteague and Assateague ponies are eating…I will bet they are eating more birds than most horses! And probably the occasional washed up fish too.
Does This Mean You Should Feed Your Horse a Ham Sandwich?
No!
Horses can eat and digest eggs well enough, and likely manage baby birds too. Eggs would be part of their diet in the wild, albeit not a huge one. But if a horse comes across a nest, snarf. Eggs won’t hurt them and can help them, although it’s a bit expensive…unless, of course, your backyard chickens are overproducing. However, meat can cause GI distress.
Horses can also digest fish oil, and some people use it as a supplement. There’s indication that the Greeks fed fish to their horses and salted herring used to be fed to horses in Iceland, likely for similar reasons…to supplement not great grazing.
Occasional meat eating won’t hurt your horse. If they steal a bite from your ham sandwich…or your entire sandwich…don’t worry too much. However, eating a lot of meat can do nasty things to your poor horse. It can:
· Increase stomach acid production, resulting in gastric ulcers.
· Increase the risk of acute colic.
· Cause a protein imbalance…too much protein, not enough fiber.
Small rodents and birds baled into hay can rot there and cause botulism…which can be fatal in horses. Horses should mostly eat hay. But if they happen to sample fresh bird, not a problem.
What Does This Say About Vegetarianism in Humans?
Absolutely nothing! Vegetarianism and veganism is typically a moral stance (although some people find they are healthier when they eat less or no meat, while others find cutting out animal products makes their health worse). These animals aren’t capable of that level of abstract thought.
Herbivores are not vegetarians. And humans are naturally omnivorous…in fact, as I mentioned, we’re one of the most opportunistic feeders on the planet. Which is what allows humans who choose it the luxury of being vegetarians.
If we were obligate carnivores like cats, we wouldn’t be able to make that choice. If we were natural herbivores, then the choice would be less of a challenge.
Only true omnivores can be vegetarians. (consider that if you’re designing aliens).