[moprabbit]

Just wondered if grass clippings (not sprayed with anything obviously!)  are suitable to give to sheep? I felt I'd read somewhere you shouldn't give them to horses but don't know about sheep?
Thanks

[Old Shep]

No I don't think so.  I know definitely not to give them to goats.  Long strimmings are OK but not lawn mower clippings - they ferment in the gut or something?  I'm sure someone will come along soon with a more accurate explanation!!

[Anke]

We scythe (with a metal blade on the strimmer) longish grass and give it to the goats, no problem. But the munched up stuff from the lawnmower only goes onto the compost/to the hens and small quantities to the pigs. Don't know exactly why, but read somewhere not to give these to ruminants, probably something along the lines of being too rich/easily fermented/give bloat... ?

[Pedwardine]

There's a thread somewhere on here re silage made from grass clippings but not good to feed direct from mowing if collected as you go due to fermentation. We've cut longer grass in warmer weather, left it to dry really long and well where it is and then sheep have eaten it. Not a great chance of that sort of thing happening in recent years though!

[SteveHants]

I know a guy who mows his horse paddocks with a sort of special topper (I know  ) that gathers up the clippings into roughly the dimensions of a round bale. I have let him dump it in with my sheep a few times and the ewes have munched it all up no bother, and it is very short. Having said that, it doesn't hang around - Id be concerned if it did.

[SheepCrazy!]

I think its to do with the fumes from the lawnmover leaving residue on the grass cuttings, I have in the past had many family arguments about not dumping the excess grass cutting where the sheep can get them, however eating the cutting hasn't seemed to effect the little *****  Its definitely not something I would choose my sheep to eat, I hope the arguments have paid off and this year they'll have to graze for all their grass.
 

[macvity]

what a load of crap.i have given my sheep fresh lawn clippings for two years now with no problems.i cut the grass with the lawn mower give them the fresh grass they love it.i also collect the grass and put it in plastic barrels for the winter it makes realy nice silage.ferment in the gut what crap.

[moprabbit]

Thanks for all your replies!