Feeding lambs willow

[Man_in_black]

Read a couple of articles on this lately, with supposed all sorts of benefits from dwg to natural worming & even pain relief.... Just wondering if anyone here been doing it long enough to comment on it? We've plenty of willow growing in certain parts of farm, happily harvest some & chuck in to fat lambs if it works.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

I know the stock like to eat the over hanging leaves. Perhaps minerals in them from deep down in the soil.

 

[george 600]

Foyle food group our doing trails in Northern Ireland grazing beef cattle on willows.

 

[Man_in_black]

I know the stock like to eat the over hanging leaves. Perhaps minerals in them from deep down in the soil.

Apparently it's cobalt levels are even higher than that required for a growing lamb...

 

[BAF]

Isn't asprin derived from willow bark? So it should/could have some sort of pain relieving effect

 

[Henery]

I thought there was a lot of Selenium in willow leaves ? Always deficient round here, lambs get regular oral supplement.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Nettles supposedly high in iron. If it was gold I'd be a millionaire

 

[sheepdogtrail]

Isn't asprin derived from willow bark? So it should/could have some sort of pain relieving effect

yes it is.

 

[sheepdogtrail]

Willows are very good for graze and minerals for most classes of livestock. It also makes a great plant to have as fed during a drought and is very easy to propagate from cuttings. Livestock parasites will not be on Willow plants. Infected larvae can not migrate that high off the deck.

 

[pgk]

Willows are very good for graze and minerals for most classes of livestock. It also makes a great plant to have as fed during a drought and is very easy to propagate from cuttings. Livestock parasites will not be on Willow plants. Infected larvae can not migrate that high off the deck.

We Pollarded a lot of willow last year during the drought, lambs took a couple of days to take to it then cleared both leaves and bark. Noticed today weaned ewes were on hind legs eating willow leaves in watermeadows. They are clearing some land which owner had let go, notice they are eating a catholic mix of willow, alder, nettles, thistles, bramble etc seem very content

 

[Macsky]

Read a couple of articles on this lately, with supposed all sorts of benefits from dwg to natural worming & even pain relief.... Just wondering if anyone here been doing it long enough to comment on it? We've plenty of willow growing in certain parts of farm, happily harvest some & chuck in to fat lambs if it works.

How does one harvest willow leaves on scale?

 

[sheepdogtrail]

How does one harvest willow leaves on scale?

Not sure. But perhaps some sort of berry picker could do the job. It could be easier to be a rancher and take the stock to the willow and let them harvest it.

 

[pgk]

How does one harvest willow leaves on scale?

Chainsaw

 

[sheepdogtrail]

or a sickle bar mower.

 

[Kidds]

Nettles supposedly high in iron. If it was gold I'd be a millionaire

Horsetail is supposedly high in gold if that helps.

 

[Cowpoke82]

Horsetail is supposedly high in gold if that helps.

If that’s the case I’m a pound behind bezos

 

[Man_in_black]

How does one harvest willow leaves on scale?

Personally, I've simply cut offshoots of 18mm+ diameter and fed whole in field. I'm hoping they eat leaves & bark. As of 6pm this evening a few leaves had been nibbled but fingers crossed

 

[neilo]

How does one harvest willow leaves on scale?

Get goaty sheep, as above?

 

[ringi]

How does one harvest willow leaves on scale?

I expect you let the willow grow to the size you want for woodchip or firewood, but let the livestock access the cut willow before processing the wood.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Get goaty sheep, as above?

You never miss an opportunity