[Anke]

Are (green) pine needles poisonous if eaten in large quantities? I cannot find it anywhere, so I hope they will be ok?

My neighbour (I rent his field) has this morning cut down one of the pine trees on the perimeter of the field, it fell into the field and it's now stripped is bare! (He takes the tops for Xmas trees....). The branches are out of reach for the sheep normally, so they have never eaten them.... but they must be tasty! These are pedigree Shetlands in the field... so far they seem fine, do I need to worry about this?

This was a normal pine tree, not Lleylandii or similar.

[Dan]

We've got a list of plants poisonous to sheep and nowhere is pine mentioned, so I think they should be fine.

(Not much use to you now, but we've got an article in draft listing beneficial and poisonous plants for sheep, will get it finished tomorrow.)

[shep53]

My sheep eat all types of soft woods with gusto and never seem ill, they really love very young pines eating needles and bark if given the chance. So your sheep should be ok

[doganjo]

I think pine needles can cause abortion in cattle if eaten, but haven't read anything about sheep.  I think they have different absorption mechanisms to cattle.

[SallyintNorth]

My ewes on the moorland farm would munch on any overhanging pine when they were next to wooded areas and as far as I know never suffered as a result. 

[Anke]

Ok, thanks. I was just so surprised at the speed with which that tree was demolished... I never thought that sheep will eat pine needles with such an appetite...

Last winter they gnawed and de-barked all the willow and apple tree branches that were in the field after coppicing - kept them occupied in all that snow when there was not much else.

[feldar]

Our Llanwenog ewes used to virtually climb the pine trees to eat them! but watch if you have horses my pony had a terrible colic from eating pine

[humphreymctush]

Just as a matter of interest, I heard somewhere that Shropshire sheep are used to graze around Xmas tree plantations because they are just about the only breed that doent like pine needles.

[Moleskins]

  they should have nice smelling breath for a day or two,
This will make a nice change for a sheep !!

[Dougal]

saves the grass... bonus!

[Lostlambs]

In an organic book I've read it states that evergreen needles were once used as a natural dewormer,I don't remember if it was specific on the type of tree. Has anyone else heard of this?