[Clive]

I have a Ram with me who is quite poorly and off his food. Anyone got any magic recipes for easily digestible and tempting feed to boost his energy levels and kickstart him again. He's pretty elderly and has lost condition quite quickly

[Big Light]

I would be looking at the reasons behind it, might be old age but if in doubt a doze of worm/fluke combination then a dose of something like ovi thrive or similar multi vitamin dose. You can also slowly dose with something like  a calf oral rehydrate to get it started eating again

[lachlanandmarcus]

Ivy or Dock leaves will often be eaten when nothing else will, have also used porridge.

[MarvinH]

You say he is elderly, are his teeth/inside of his mouth and gums ok?

[landroverroy]

Ivy will often tempt a sheep's appetite and get it eating again. (Sorry just realised l a m  already suggested that). Or else apple or carrot, or sugar beet pulp. If you use concentrates, it's essential to get him eating some fibre as soon as possible to encourage the good bugs in his rumen.   

[SteveHants]

Look in his mouth - sounds like teeth to me.

[shep53]

 endorse every suggestion   fluke/worm check teeth   molasses  or treacle  , soaked beetpulp     vit b12 injection can stimulate appetite  ,

[SallyintNorth]

And in the case of smelling ketones, or otherwise thinking that the digestion is failing, you can use twin lamb drench to kick-start.

[Marches Farmer]

If grazing's short cut some dandelions and long grass from the garden or verges.  If the suggestions above don't work it might be just his time to fade out. We generally have one or two around the farm that have been with us a very long time and somehow always seem to have missed being loaded when we've taken the cull sheep to market.  So long as they're comfortable and not in any pain we let them go in their own time.

[jaykay]

As folk have said, greenery. A bit of ivy, not too much. What does the supermarket have - cabbage, kale, spinach? I've also had luck with digestive biscuits, flaked maize, sultanas, slices of apples.

[Clive]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I did manage to get him to eat some ivy leaves and apple slices. I checked on him Sunday night and he looked relaxed in his shelter but unfortunately on the Monday he had died. He was actually on loan which caused me some stress but his owner was not too surprised as he wasn't expected to see the year out. Lesson Learned - be careful when you take on someone elses animals, it is REALLY stressful when they get sick!

[Bramblecot]

Well, if his last meal was ivy leaves and apple slices in a comfortable shelter, then I expect he died a happy old ram.  Can't ask for more.