Ivy & Sheep ???

[Clive Tee]

I've just pulled out a hedge which is 90% English Ivy. I've heard many times on this forum how good it is for sheep. So I stuck a branch in with my ewe-lambs, and it was gone in a couple of hours.

I Googled it out of interest, and Google says it's poisonous to cattle and sheep. Is that only if you give too much?

Anyhow, I've got a huge great pile of the stuff and don't want to waste it, so can I feed it to my ewes? Got ewes about to lamb as well, would they benefit from it?

This is what I'm calling English Ivy:

I don't think it's got berries on though.

Cheers

_

 

[exmoor dave]

They flipping love it! But perhaps ration it out if there's loads of it.

 

[llamedos]

It is something I have always used to tempt a non eater, and it usually works, at the old place we had a large old stone building with one wall covered in Ivy and the ewes had free rein to eat it, but they only browsed it now and then, same with an ivy covered tree in one of the meadows, they would only select it now and then, so perhaps they know 'when it is good for them' other leaves say, Ash, they would graze as soon as they could reach a lower branch, and graze them continually.

 

[beardface]

at the old place we had a large old stone building with one wall covered in Ivy and the ewes had free rein to eat it, but they only browsed it now and then, same with an ivy covered tree in one of the meadows, they would only select it now and then, so perhaps they know 'when it is good for them' other leaves say, Ash, they would graze as soon as they could reach a lower branch, and graze them continually.

Same with us have some on a wall outside a lambing shed that they browse, also love holly trees so suggest fencing round them as there ain't much left at the bottom if they have a good go.

 

[spin cycle]

It is something I have always used to tempt a non eater, and it usually works, at the old place we had a large old stone building with one wall covered in Ivy and the ewes had free rein to eat it, but they only browsed it now and then, same with an ivy covered tree in one of the meadows, they would only select it now and then, so perhaps they know 'when it is good for them' other leaves say, Ash, they would graze as soon as they could reach a lower branch, and graze them continually.

great idea i've a ewe with bit of tld i'm going to try it

on op if you put a bucket of barley in front of a ewe she'll probably kill herself so like others say don't let em gorge on it (ivy)

 

[Pasty]

Never known it to cause harm. We had one our tenants ewes stuck in mud once, probably been there a day or 4 as he didn't check them. Pulled her out on deaths door and grabbed a bit of ivy for her. Brought her around in half an hour and she was off. Grandad always swore by it apparently.

 

[Kevtherev]

Old shepherds valued ivy for its medicinal value.

 

[Gulli]

It is apparently toxic but I think its a cumulative effect similar to ragwort?
Where's @bovine when you need him?

 

[Pasty]

If you get an old tree that's covered in it fall in the field, they will strip it in hours so there must be something in it.

 

[Kevtherev]

Seen plenty of sheep nibbling ivy when I'm out brushing hedges.
They also strip the bark off the ivy stems.
A poorly ewe at home always had some ivy when grandad was alive

 

[Old Tip]

Just don't feed it before scanning, had a big ivy laden tree come down night before scanning once poor bloke said he couldn't see a thing through all the heavy material, he had to come back a few days later to do the ones that had eaten the most lol

 

[godro]

If we have an out of sorts ewe that won't eat anything, usually post lambing, we'll go out to the trees and rip some ivy off and just leave it in the pen with the ewe. Don't know if it's good or bad, but it hasn't killed any of ours ...yet! And it's nice to see them eating something, when they turn their noses at everything else you give them!!

 

[bovine]

Various sources all state the plant is poisonousness. I've never seen it. My gut feeling is a bit should be OK and a lot could be harmful. Armed with this information I couldn't condone feeding it, but the risk doesn't look huge.

The following is from a vet article on poisoning in animals:

 

[Pasty]

Cure or kill then. Best way probably. Leave it to the animal to decide.

 

[Clive Tee]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like it's some sort of pick-me-up, like sheep's Red Bull, but not good in large quantities. I'll just give 'em a bit at a time.

Cheers