Sheep Nutrition

All Sheep Nutrition Content
Small group of black beef cattle lined up at a feed bunk.

Feeding Sprouted Grains to Cattle or Sheep

Anytime wet weather causes harvest delays, the risk of grain sprouting pre-harvest increases. In most cases, we can feed sprouted grain to cattle or sheep with nearly the same results that we would expect with normal grain.

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.

A field of flowering alfalfa.

Testing Forages for Nitrates

Free nitrate testing is available at various locations across the state. Nitrate testing strips are used to provide a semi-quantitative value of nitrate levels in forages. It allows producers to make decisions based on the presence or absence of nitrates and appropriate timing for cutting.

A group of brown cattle foraging in a green field.

Prussic Acid Poisoning

As the first frost date approaches, producers often have concerns about the risk of prussic acid poisoning in livestock. Certain forage plants, especially sorghums and related species are associated with an increased risk of death loss because of prussic acid poisoning.

Small flock of sheep grazing in a pasture.

Using Livestock to Promote Healthy Rangelands

Fact sheet about using livestock to promote healthy rangelands

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.

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.