Brenda Khan
Sheep are gentle, domesticated herbivores with a varied diet. Their diet is primarily made up of forage, which includes pasture grass, legumes, leaves, and flowering plants. Sheep are ruminants, meaning they have a complex digestive system with a four-chambered stomach, allowing them to break down fibrous vegetation. Their diet can vary depending on their environment, nutritional needs, and the season. During colder months, sheep may be fed good-quality hay by farmers to supplement their diet. Additionally, grains and concentrates can be provided to meet the nutritional requirements of growing lambs, pregnant ewes, and lactating mothers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Diet | Grasses, legumes, leaves, flowering plants, hay, grains, pellets, concentrates, vitamins A, D, and E, and minerals |
| Daily Food Intake | 2-4% of their body weight in dry matter, or about 0.03 pounds of food for every pound they weigh |
| Dietary Supplements | Vitamins, minerals, and ammonium chloride (to prevent urinary calculi) |
| Toxic Foods | Ragwort, Bracken, Capewood, and copper |
| Treats | Ash leaves, persimmons, beet pulp pellets, apples, saltine crackers, and popcorn kernels |
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What You'll Learn
Sheep diet in captivity
Sheep are domesticated ruminants with a complex digestive system that allows them to break down food. They are strict herbivores and their diet consists of grass, legumes, leaves, flowering plants, and forbs. In captivity, sheep tend to graze in pastures, with supplementary food provided by farmers.
Sheep require a lot of food to process and generate energy, and they spend between 6 and 8 hours grazing each day. The amount of food they need depends on their weight; they need to eat about 0.03 pounds of food for every pound they weigh. Adult sheep weigh between 100 and 350 pounds, so large sheep can eat up to 10 pounds per day.
In the winter, when pastures lack growth, farmers must provide richer foods to their flocks. This includes high-protein pellets or cottonseed meal and salt, medium-protein pellets, low-protein pellets or corn, alfalfa hay, and minerals. Sheep need a minimum of 7% dietary crude protein for normal rumen function and normal rumen bacterial growth. Additionally, small lambs, old ewes with poor teeth, and thin ewes may require supplemental food in the form of high-protein or medium-protein pellets.
Lambs have different dietary needs from adult sheep. They can be fed a diet of ground or pelleted food containing 60-70% hay, with the rest made up of roughages such as cottonseed hulls or silage. Corn, sorghum, or alfalfa silage can replace half the hay, but this may decrease finish and yield. Lambs should also be given free access to creep feed from around two weeks of age, and small amounts of fresh, clean grain should be introduced gradually. Nursing ewes and growing lambs require the most energy for growth and lactation, so grain supplements are beneficial during these life stages.
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Sheep diet in the wild
Sheep are herbivorous ruminants, meaning they have a specialised digestive system that allows them to break down fibrous vegetation efficiently. They have a multi-chambered stomach that requires a lot of food to process and generate energy. Sheep spend between 6 and 8 hours grazing each day and need the energy to find food.
In the wild, sheep graze for many hours each day and eat grass, legumes, leaves, flowering plants, shrubs, tree leaves, and woody plants. Their diet varies depending on their habitat and the availability of food sources. Sheep can survive solely on pasture grass, especially ryegrass and timothy, making them self-sufficient during the warmer months. In the colder months, they rely on stored forage such as hay and silage.
Sheep also graze on certain weeds and herbs, some of which are highly nutritious, while others should be avoided due to toxicity. Some plants that are toxic to sheep include ragwort, bracken, and capewood.
Baby sheep, or lambs, require milk from their mother for the first week or two of their lives. After that, they begin to eat small amounts of grass and grains. By the time a lamb is 4 to 6 weeks old, it will be getting about half of its nutrition from its mother's milk and the other half from grazing or other sources. Lambs will be fully weaned by the time they are 12 to 14 weeks old.
The amount of food a sheep needs depends on its weight. According to one source, sheep generally need to consume 2-4% of their body weight in dry matter. Another source suggests that sheep need to eat about 0.03 pounds of food for every pound they weigh.
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Vitamins and minerals in sheep nutrition
Sheep are strict herbivores with a varied diet consisting of grass, legumes, leaves, and flowering plants. They are ruminants, meaning they have a complex digestive system that allows them to break down food in their multi-chambered stomachs.
Sheep require a significant amount of food to meet their energy needs, typically consuming around 2-4% of their body weight in dry matter. This can be achieved through grazing on pastures, which provide the necessary fibre and many essential vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins play a crucial role in sheep nutrition. An adequate diet for sheep should include vitamins A, D, and E. Vitamin A can be lacking in old or weathered forage, while sheep housed indoors may require additional vitamin D. Sheep can synthesise B vitamins and vitamin K, so these typically do not need to be supplemented.
Minerals are also essential for sheep's health and can be obtained through mineral supplements or by grazing on mineral-rich pastures. The major minerals required by sheep include sodium, chlorine, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, and potassium. Trace minerals such as cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, and selenium are also necessary. However, copper should be included in small amounts as excess copper can be toxic to sheep.
Supplementation with grains, pellets, or concentrates is typically not required for healthy, mature sheep. However, individuals with specific health issues or nutritional deficiencies may need additional supplementation.
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Sheep dietary supplements
Sheep are strict herbivores with a varied diet, including grass, legumes, leaves, and flowering plants. They are ruminants, meaning they have a complex digestive system with a four-chambered stomach. This means they require a lot of food to process and generate energy. Typically, sheep consume around 2-4% of their body weight in dry matter, which can be met by grazing in pastures.
However, in certain cases, sheep may require dietary supplements. For instance, during winter, pastures may not provide sufficient growth, prompting farmers to offer rich foods to their flocks. Sheep with health issues, such as dental disease or Ovine Progressive Pneumonia, may also need supplemental food sources. Additionally, sheep at specific life stages, such as lambs or lactating ewes, require extra energy and nutrients for growth and milk production.
Supplements for sheep typically include grains, pellets, or concentrates, along with vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A, D, and E are essential in a sheep's diet, and B vitamins may be required for sheep facing health challenges or undergoing specific treatments. Protein supplements, such as oilseed meals or commercially blended supplements, can be provided when forages do not meet crude protein requirements, which is a minimum of 7%.
Mineral supplements are also crucial, with selenium, iodine, cobalt, copper, and zinc being important for sheep health. However, copper should be carefully considered as sheep are sensitive to it, and copper toxicity can be detrimental. Salt is another vital supplement, aiding in thriftiness, economical gains, lactation, and reproduction.
Other supplements include beet pulp or citrus pulp for added fiber, joint supplements with hyaluronan to support joint health, and top-dress supplements with high protein levels to promote muscle development.
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Human food treats for sheep
Sheep are strict herbivores with complex digestive systems, so their diet should consist primarily of plants and plant materials. While sheep can survive solely on pasture grass, they may require additional sources of food during winter when pastures lack growth.
Sheep should consume 2-4% of their body weight in dry matter. This can be met by providing forages, whether fresh or dried, on a free-choice basis, allowing sheep to consume as much food as they need. In addition to good-quality hay, a well-balanced feed of grains and minerals can be supplemented to help sheep maintain condition and support growth, pregnancy, lactation, and reproduction.
Sheep should not be fed copper supplements as they are sensitive to it, but small amounts are needed in their diets. Other substances that are toxic to sheep include ragwort, bracken, and capewood.
Sheep can also be given treats, but these should make up a very small percentage of their diet. Treats should be introduced slowly and in small quantities to avoid disturbing their rumen microflora. Some human food treats that sheep may enjoy include:
- Apples
- Carrots
- Oats
- Grain-based "sheep biscuits"
- Sunflower leaves
- Mint
- Saltine crackers
- Ash leaves
- Whole peanuts
- Bread
- Sugar cubes
Grain-based treats should be fed sparingly as they can cause digestive distress or even death if fed in large quantities.
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Frequently asked questions
Sheep are herbivores and ruminants, meaning they have a complex digestive system that allows them to break down fibrous vegetation. Their diet consists primarily of plant material, including grass, legumes, leaves, and flowering plants.
Sheep require vitamins A, D, and E in their diet. B vitamins and vitamin K are synthesized by rumen microbes, so they typically do not need to be supplemented. Essential minerals are categorized as macrominerals and microminerals, and salt encourages the consumption of the latter.
Sheep generally need to consume 2-4% of their body weight in dry matter. For a 100-pound sheep, this equates to about 2-4 pounds of food per day.
Forage is the primary component of a sheep's diet, providing the majority of the fiber they need. Grains and concentrates can supplement their nutritional needs, especially for growing lambs, pregnant ewes, and lactating mothers. Good sources of grains include corn, barley, oats, and wheat.
Yes, certain plants and substances are toxic to sheep and should be avoided. These include poisonous plants like ragwort, bracken fern, foxglove, oleander, yew, and rhododendron, as well as high-nitrate plants and excessive copper. Moldy or spoiled feed can also cause digestive issues and toxicity.
