[laurelrus]

I got a load of willow branches for my pygmy goats yesterday, which they are really enjoying.
There are too many branches for two goats to eat before they are all wilted and dead, so I'm wondering if my sheep would enjoy them too?
If someone can tell me whether sheep like willow that would be great!

[undergruntled]

Mine do!  Mind you they have 'et just about everything else they can reach, hawthorn, hazel, elderberry.  I think they must have a bit of goat in them somewhere.   

[in the hills]

Yes, mine graze the willow trees.

Doesn't it contain low levels of 'aspirin' or something similar so said to be 'medicinal' too?

[Anke]

Doesn't it contain low levels of 'aspirin' or something similar so said to be 'medicinal' too?

Yes it contains a natural form of aspirin. And yes sheep and goats (and geese if allowed to get near it) just love willow, and will de-bark any young trees readily!

[kelly58]

Yup, l grow willow for the sheep and goats they love it. 

[Fleecewife]

Yes    See my post in your goat thread.  See also the pics on my website of sheep demolishing a huge pile of willow.  Even once they have eaten the leaves they still love to strip off all the bark - which is the bit which contains the Salicylic Acid or Aspirin, so don't chuck it out just because the leaves have wilted.

[ladyK]

Same here too, my sheep just love willow branches, and will eat them down to the bark.
So do the donkeys 

[Dogwalker]

And it dries for fire wood so much quicker once the bark is stripped off.

[laurelrus]

Thanks so much for the responses, i'll take some out to the sheep right now!
I'd like to try and grow some from the branches, I asked on the gardening section if someone could tell me how to grow from a cutting, hopefully it's something I can do!

[Dogwalker]

It's willow - try stopping it from growing.

Just plant it in some soil and keep it damp it'll soon sprout.

[Bramblecot]

My sheep eat willow most of the year and it is great for feeding to any sheep which are housed.  The new growth on contorted willow is a favourite - no waste fodder

[Paulie]

I'm off to cut some willow for the girls and geese, thanks for this info I've got tons of  the stuff 

[Marches Farmer]

Just take cuttings about as thick as a pencil, about 20cm long, cut straight across just below a leaf axil at the bottom and a sloping cut just above a leaf axil at the top (this is so you know which way up they go!)  Then just stick them in the ground to the depth of one or two axils and water in if in very dry ground.  They'll put on roots over the winter and start into leaf in Spring.  I generally get about 90% success.