dcullon
Chillin' with the herd
Hello, Are there any fruits and veggies that my 3 ewes CAN'T have?
Thanks Debbie
Thanks Debbie
Fruits and veggies
- Thread starter dcullon
- Start date
Beekissed
Herd Master
They say sheep cannot eat tomato or pea/bean vines as this is toxic to them. Same with green apple seeds.
My sheep have eaten tons of both of these things with no obvious signs of discomfort. They literally LOVE tomato vines and can mow down 150 plants in about two days.
I let mine choose what is best for them, as they seem to do it very well.
My sheep have eaten tons of both of these things with no obvious signs of discomfort. They literally LOVE tomato vines and can mow down 150 plants in about two days.
I let mine choose what is best for them, as they seem to do it very well.
boothcreek
Loving the herd life
My sheep have eaten tomato vines too without any ill effects(I however got an earful from my stepdad that my damn sheep ate his precious tomato plants..... oops).
I have been trying to convert my sheep to liking fruits and veggies and get the "are you kidding? wheres the grain?" look from my flock......
I have been trying to convert my sheep to liking fruits and veggies and get the "are you kidding? wheres the grain?" look from my flock......
nsanywhere
Chillin' with the herd
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One of mine loves apples, the other 2 can't stand them. They all dove into a bucket of fresh picked tomatoes that I had left out on the porch (oops). They also like a few bites of banana now and again.
The really big favorite around here are acorns and a bag of dorritos. Again, left where they could get it....you've never seen such excited snacking!
The really big favorite around here are acorns and a bag of dorritos. Again, left where they could get it....you've never seen such excited snacking!
Beekissed
Herd Master
Mine do so much better if there is no grain involved. These hair sheep seem to be much like goats in that fact that they love and thrive on browse and foraged items like apples, squash, etc. from my gardens and yard.
I had to supplement their pasture this summer due to the extreme drought conditions but I did it with alfalfa pellets. This worked well for that time frame.
I prefer grass fed only with the occasional pumpkins, apples, squash thrown in.
I had to supplement their pasture this summer due to the extreme drought conditions but I did it with alfalfa pellets. This worked well for that time frame.
I prefer grass fed only with the occasional pumpkins, apples, squash thrown in.
boothcreek
Loving the herd life
My blackbellies and Moufs do great on grain. Last year I only have them alfalfa hay and lamb grower pellets(the only type of sheep feed we can get here) and they just didn't look good. Always on the verge of skinny and their coat was dull and scruffy looking. Switched to 50/50(oats and barley) with 10% corn and molasses and they are looking great ever since they get their daily ration of grain.
Don't know if its just these breeds of sheep that are like this cause the dorper/kathadin cross ewe living with them on pellets and hay was fat and healthy looking at all times(well, a bit jiggly fat after I switched everyone to grain).
Don't know if its just these breeds of sheep that are like this cause the dorper/kathadin cross ewe living with them on pellets and hay was fat and healthy looking at all times(well, a bit jiggly fat after I switched everyone to grain).
Beekissed
Herd Master
Yeah....my Kats fatten quickly on grass and hay but become obese on any hint of supplemental grain.
I was giving some because I thought my one ewe was preggers and we were having this pretty bad drought. So I thought that maybe I should give her a handful of sweet feed and alfalfa pellets each day...and that is about all I gave her, a handful.
She kept getting more and more rounded and tight bellied, so I assumed she was progressing in her pregnancy. Nope. She was just getting too obese on the grain and she did not have a lamb from her spring breeding.
I stopped the extra grain to this ewe and she is starting to look a little better but still looks way too fat. Who knew so little grains could make her so fat???
I was giving some because I thought my one ewe was preggers and we were having this pretty bad drought. So I thought that maybe I should give her a handful of sweet feed and alfalfa pellets each day...and that is about all I gave her, a handful.
She kept getting more and more rounded and tight bellied, so I assumed she was progressing in her pregnancy. Nope. She was just getting too obese on the grain and she did not have a lamb from her spring breeding.
I stopped the extra grain to this ewe and she is starting to look a little better but still looks way too fat. Who knew so little grains could make her so fat???
boothcreek
Loving the herd life
Sounds like my kath/dorper cross. She sees grain and she grew wider with every look......
My sheep get daily about 1/3 to 1/2 a bucket(big white 7 gal bucket) of grain between the 7 of them and the 5 geese, no one is fat, but I solely keep the moufs and ABBs now. Maybe they are a more high energy breed that doesn't fatten too easily?
Tried to feed some apples, cantilope, banana, lettuce and cucumber last week(went and bought out the half price fruit and veggie section at the store for my birds and chopped up too much). The looks my sheep gave me were priceless
. the geese were eating it tho, and she sheep had to pick grain out amongst the healthy food.
My sheep get daily about 1/3 to 1/2 a bucket(big white 7 gal bucket) of grain between the 7 of them and the 5 geese, no one is fat, but I solely keep the moufs and ABBs now. Maybe they are a more high energy breed that doesn't fatten too easily?
Tried to feed some apples, cantilope, banana, lettuce and cucumber last week(went and bought out the half price fruit and veggie section at the store for my birds and chopped up too much). The looks my sheep gave me were priceless
. the geese were eating it tho, and she sheep had to pick grain out amongst the healthy food.
Beekissed
Herd Master
My sheep would trample their own young to get pumpkins and veggies! Like piranhas!
Like piranhas!- Thread starter
- #10
dcullon
Chillin' with the herd
My sheep are fat also. I have cut back on their grain to almost nothing. They have hay all the time in their racks. One ewe is a Corriedale and the other two are Border Leicesters. One is the size of a table she is so wide and the Corriedale is like a bull. 
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They love salads and some fruit. They step over the chickens when I come in with it.
. They love salads and some fruit. They step over the chickens when I come in with it.
