Sheep Nutrition

All Sheep Nutrition Content

Small flock of sheep grazing in a pasture.

Using Livestock to Promote Healthy Rangelands

Fact sheet about using livestock to promote healthy rangelands

small group of sheep standing in a pasture

Sheep & Goats

South Dakota ranks sixth nationally in sheep and wool production. And the industry is growing.

Sheep producer moving a flock at pasture.

Will Your Summer Pastures Meet Your Flock’s Needs?

Sheep can readily thrive on pasture in the summer. However, monitoring forage quality and meeting mineral requirements on range is important to optimize production.

A field of flowering alfalfa.

Nitrate QuikTest for Forages

The Nitrate QuikTest for Forages is available at various SDSU Extension locations and veterinary clinics across the state and is designed to be used with standing forages prior to harvesting for hay or grazing.

Row of sheep eating from a trough in a feedlot.

Waterbelly in Small Ruminants

Waterbelly (urolithiasis or urinary calculi) is a concern in male sheep and goats on high-concentrate rations. Knowing its symptoms, forms, and prevention strategies can help you make the best decisions for your flock.

blades of brome grass with a brown to black, thumbnail-shaped growth on one of the blades.

Ergot: A Potential Livestock Poisoning Problem

Cool, damp weather followed by warmer temperatures favors grasses becoming infected with ergot bodies, which can cause a certain kind of poisoning that can affect cattle on pasture.

Merino sheep eating from a small feeding trough.

Mineral Considerations for Sheep

Minerals play an integral role in many reactions throughout a sheep's body, and they are critical for animal health, performance, and the profitability of an operation.

Ewe sheep eating from a feeder.

Proper Ewe Nutrition Benefits Future Lamb Performance

Supplying ewes with greater levels of energy during gestation ultimately leads to greater lamb performance throughout their lifetime.

Two Saxon Merino rams grazing pasture.

Boosting Ram Nutrition for Optimal Breeding Success

Around breeding time, nutritional considerations tend to lean towards the ewes, but what about rams?

Flock of newborn lambs in a barn.

Creep Feeding Lambs

Creep feeding, when combined with access to fresh water, can support early growth and weaning in young lambs. Learn some expert tips for creating an ideal creep feeding environment to get your lambs off to a great start this season.