Author Topic: feeding lawn clippings to sheep? (Read 8522 times)

trefnantbach · « **on:** March 24, 2011, 09:39:28 pm »

The grass seems to be growing at a faster rate on our lawns around the house than in the fields right now and I was thinking about bringing out the ride-on over the week end to tidy things up a bit. I prefer to keep a distinction between what is ours (the lawns) and what is the sheeps (the fields) hence putting the sheep on the lawns is not an option!
I know that feeding lawn clippings to horses is a complete no no, but what about sheep? Would they cope with eating them with out keeling over?

robert waddell · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2011, 09:46:19 pm »

now that is a lovley pig on your avatar what is wrong with giving them the grass AS LONG AS IT HAS NOT TREATED WITH ANYTHING

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2011, 12:25:13 am »

Hmm - I would be very wary about it. We have given ours lawn clippings on occasion but in small amounts only. My worry is that, particularly if they are left in a heap, it will take no time at all for the grass to start fermenting. Something tells me that should be bad for the sheep, but I suppose they eat haylage. Hopefully someone will answer who knows.

Hermit · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2011, 07:52:34 am »

We make silage in blue barrels out of ours ,we just pack it in blue barrels and add some molasses to make a beautiful feed. The sheep eat it well and we still have two barrels left in case of a last snow. When I have thrown some fresh cuttings in the field for the chooks to scratch at the sheep have not even been interested in it. I think there is a thread on blue barrel silage on here or definately on RC

horsemadmummy · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2011, 09:42:34 am »

How long does your silage keep in the barrells and how much molasses do you use?

Hermit · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2011, 11:05:30 am »

The silage we are using now was made last summer and still looks ok, I have only seen my OH pouring the molasses in but looks like three pintsworth per blue barrel. We were told we would have trouble getting it out as blue barrels are narrower at the top but we just lay them down and let the sheep eat out of them( and check them for duck eggs!)