Author Topic: Sheep eating poisonous. plants. (Read 17934 times)

crowncottage@btinternet.c · « **on:** February 08, 2014, 07:33:08 pm »

I am new to this site as well as to keeping sheep. Today I let my three sheep in to a fresh pasture with plenty of grass which they seemed happy with but as soon as my back was turned they started tucking in to some ivy. My son stopped them but they then moved on to eating mistletoe! Does anyone know if this will make them ill? Are plants that are poisonous to humans also bad for sheep? What can I do to help if they are poisoned?

Steph Hen · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2014, 07:59:17 pm »

I don't think ivy is poisonous to sheep; I'm not an expert at all, but the old farmer where I grew up used to cut branches of ivy to feed to any of his ewes if they were struggling to feed their lambs... Said it helped, I don't know how true this was, but they ate a lot of it and lived. I'm sure someone who knows will answer soon.

Tim W · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2014, 08:05:36 pm »

Mine love to strip ivy off fallen trees---they are getting plenty at the moment!
Doesn't seem to harm them but I guess much will depend on how much they ingest?

'A little bit of poison makes for pleasant dreams and a little bit more for a pleasant death'---can't remember where that comes from but I think it was in relation to opiates ---but could apply to almost anything

Me · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2014, 08:14:48 pm »

'A little bit of poison makes for pleasant dreams and a little bit more for a pleasant death' -

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2014, 08:44:20 pm »

If we needed to cut any trees with ivy I always made sure it was left it in the fields for the stock to eat as they really enjoy it and it makes it easier to cut the tree for wood

Poison Ivy is and american plant [/size]Rhus toxicodendron[/size]

crowncottage@btinternet.c · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2014, 09:27:55 pm »

Thanks for those suggestions about the ivy. I have kept an eye on them all evening and there seem to have been no ill effects. It sounds as of I had better include it in their regular feed!
Can anyone recommend a lick for them?

EP90 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2014, 11:37:29 am »

I would go with peoples personal experiences, but google poisonous plants for sheep brings up all sorts and quite a few say its poisonous. Personally, I had lambs eating ivy last year and I couldn’t sleep that night after reading how toxic it was.

Sigh of relief next morning, all was well and they continued to nibbled on it whenever they wanted, no ill effects.
http://www.smallholderseries.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=181:poisonous-plants17&catid=89&Itemid=193#i

Bramblecot · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2014, 12:11:21 pm »

I feed ivy to our sheep all winter and they love it. I try not to feed the branches that have berries though as I was told they are poisonous. It is apparently an appetite stimulant and I always give it to ewes after lambing, along with willow and hazel twigs - they particularly like the catkins

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2014, 01:23:24 pm »

Ours eat ivy (goats and sheep)
mineral lick - we use the yellow rockie for the sheep

moprabbit · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2014, 09:52:23 pm »

Mine LOVE ivy! If they won't eat ivy I know they are poorly! I'm not sure about mistletoe though?

DartmoorLiz · « **Reply #10 on:** February 12, 2014, 09:10:37 pm »

My old boss who kept loads of sheep used to say don't feed ivy to healthy sheep as its poisonous but if your sheep's ill then ivy'll make it better ... at least I think that's what he said, his accent was so broad he could have been asking me to pass the salt.

My own experience is ivy's fine, however I'm not so sure about fox glove leaves as I put my bottle fed lambs out in the field last year and found one dead a day later with a lot of chewed fox glove leaves around ... could be coincidence and I don't go round picking all the foxgloves but I won't put bottle fed lambs near them again, they can be so silly.