A Guide to Rearing & Feeding Sheep

Key Nutritional Needs

• Energy: Mainly from grass, hay, silage, and cereals—crucial for maintenance and production.
• Protein: Needed for muscle development, milk production, and growth (especially in lambs and pregnant/lactating ewes).
• Fibre: Essential for healthy digestion and rumen function.
• Vitamins & Minerals: Especially calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin E for bone, muscle, and immune health.

Types of Feed by Life Stage

• High-protein (16–20%) pellets or coarse mix to supplement milk and encourage early growth.
• Palatable and easy to digest.

• Moderate protein (14–16%), balanced with energy for efficient weight gain.
• Supports muscle and frame development.

• Increased energy and protein for pregnant/lactating ewes.
• Extra vitamins and minerals (especially selenium and vitamin E) to support lamb health and milk yield.

• Maintenance diets are lower in energy to avoid obesity, with balanced minerals for fertility.

• Good-quality grass, hay, or silage should form the bulk of the diet year-round.
• Supplement with hard feed when forage quality or quantity is low (e.g., winter, lambing, or rapid growth periods).

• Provide free-access mineral licks or buckets to ensure sheep get essential trace elements and vitamins.

How to Feed

• Frequency:
  • Lambs: Little and often, especially with creep feed.
  • Adults: Once or twice daily if feeding hard feed; forage available ad-lib.
• Quantity:
  • Follow manufacturer guidelines and adjust for breed, age, and condition.
• Water:
  • Fresh, clean water must always be available—sheep can drink more than you think, especially when lactating or eating dry feed.

Housing & General Care

• Shelter:
  • Provide protection from wind, rain, and extreme temperatures.
• Space:
  • Avoid overcrowding to reduce stress and disease risk.
• Pasture Management:
  • Rotate grazing to prevent overgrazing and parasite build-up.

Health & Biosecurity

• Cleanliness:
  • Clean feeders and water troughs regularly.
• Worming & Parasites:
  • Regular worming, fluke, and flystrike prevention are essential.
• Biosecurity:
  • Quarantine new sheep, and limit contact with neighbouring flocks to prevent disease spread.

Common Feeding Mistakes & FAQs

• Mistake: Underfeeding ewes before lambing—can lead to weak lambs and poor milk yield.
• Mistake: Not providing mineral licks—can cause deficiencies.
• Mistake: Overfeeding cereals—can cause digestive upsets or acidosis.

• Can sheep eat cattle or horse feed?
  Not recommended—sheep have specific mineral needs (especially copper sensitivity).
• Do sheep always need hard feed?
  No—good-quality forage is usually enough, but hard feed is useful in winter, for lambs, or high-production ewes.
• How do I know if my sheep need supplements?
  If grazing is poor, or sheep are growing, pregnant, or lactating, supplements or licks are beneficial.

Product Recommendations & Internal Links