Proper nutrition is essential for keeping your flock healthy, productive, and thriving. Understanding what to feed sheep and how to manage their nutritional needs will help ensure strong growth, high fertility, and optimal wool and meat production. In this guide, we’ll explore the essentials of sheep feeding, including suitable diets, feeding methods, and special considerations for young lambs and digestive health.
What to feed sheep
Sheep require a balanced diet to maintain their health and productivity. Their primary food source should be good-quality forage, such as grass, hay, or silage. When considering what to feed a sheep, it’s essential to match nutrition to its age, weight, production stage, and seasonal requirements.
In addition to forage, sheep benefit from supplementary feeds, including:
- Concentrates – Cereal grains like barley, oats, and maize can provide additional energy, especially for pregnant or lactating ewes.
- Protein sources – Legume hay, peas, and oilseed meals (e.g., soybean or rapeseed meal) help meet protein requirements.
- Mineral supplements – Sheep requires access to essential minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Ensure they can access salt licks or mineral blocks formulated explicitly for sheep.
- Water – Fresh, clean water should always be available, as hydration plays a vital role in digestion and nutrient absorption.
Nutrition for sheep
A well-thought-out nutrition plan is key to keeping sheep in good condition. Energy needs vary depending on sheep's growth, pregnancy, lactation, or maintenance status. Adequate protein is essential for muscle development, wool growth, and milk production.
Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals can lead to health issues, so providing a well-balanced diet with appropriate supplementation prevents common problems like copper toxicity and calcium imbalances. A high-fibre diet supports healthy digestion and prevents acidosis, a common issue in sheep fed excessive grain.
Sheep feed barriers and troughs play a vital role in efficient feeding by preventing wastage and ensuring fair access to feed. Investing in well-designed sheep feed troughs can help reduce competition and injuries within the flock.
Considering sheep’s digestive systems
Sheep are ruminants, meaning they have a complex digestive system designed to break down fibrous plant material efficiently. Their diet and feeding practices should consider this to prevent digestive issues. Maintaining rumen health is crucial, as a sudden dietary change can disrupt the microbial balance in the rumen, leading to bloat or acidosis. Always introduce new feeds gradually. Sheep naturally chew cud to aid digestion, so they require a diet rich in roughage to maintain normal digestive function. Certain plants, such as ragwort, bracken, and rhododendron, are highly toxic to sheep and should be removed from grazing areas.
Feeding sheep correctly requires careful planning and an understanding of their nutritional needs. Whether providing high-quality forage, supplementing with concentrates, or ensuring proper mineral intake, a well-balanced diet is key to their well-being. Additionally, appropriate sheep feeding equipment such as feeding troughs and barriers can enhance feeding efficiency and reduce competition among flock members. By prioritising good nutrition, farmers can promote healthier, more productive sheep throughout the year.
Sheep bottle feeding
Bottle feeding is necessary for orphaned cade lambs or weak lambs to ensure survival. Newborn lambs must receive colostrum within the first few hours of birth to develop immunity. If colostrum isn’t available, high-quality lamb milk replacers should be used. Feeding lambs small, frequent meals using a lamb teat bottle is essential. Typically, lambs need milk every 4-6 hours in the early weeks. Gradually introducing creep feed and water from around three weeks of age encourages rumen development, with full weaning occurring at around 6-8 weeks. Proper sheep bottle feeding ensures the best start for vulnerable lambs and increases their chances of growing into healthy adults.
Best supplements for sheep
At StowAg we are proud to partner with some of the very best agricultural companies in the UK, that’s why we stock the full range of Crystalyx feed licks.
Crystalyx supplies a high energy form of supplementation to the main forage diets of dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep goats and deer in a very palatable form. Crystalyx benefits from years of scientific research at some of the finest agricultural institutes around the world, with results consistently showing significant improvements in animal health, performance and productivity.