Good & Bad Foods for a Live Lamb

Sheep are not picky about their diet and survive mostly on grazing. Even so, there are various diets for a lamb. The value of each of these diets is determined by geographical location and cost. A lamb requires a special diet if he has health problems or if he is expected to grow quickly.

  1. Hay

    • Hay is usually all a lamb needs to be healthy. This is only the case, however, if the hay is good quality. If concerned about the quality of the hay, supplement the lamb's diet with grain. Hay is not to be confused with straw. Hay is dried grass that is ideal for feeding, while straw is the dried stems of wheat and other grains used as bedding. It is safe for lambs to eat the hay from bales.

    Grain

    • Grain is not an essential part of a lamb's diet, unless it is not being fed enough hay. It is important that lambs are not overfed grain as this is dangerous and even life-threatening. Do not feed more than 1 1/2 lb. of grain per feeding. It is important to not keep the grain for too long, as it sometimes grows mold that is dangerous to the lamb. If buying a pre-prepared grain mix for the lamb, do not buy one prepared for horses as this contains more copper than a lamb needs in her diet.

    Salt and Minerals

    • There are many advantages to giving a lamb salt and minerals. If a male lamb is given a calcium and phosphorus supplement, this prevents kidney stones. There is to be twice as much calcium as phosphorous in this supplement. If feeding the lamb a whole grain diet, then it is important to provide mineral supplements that include protein. Provide salt in the form of a salt block or loose mineral salt.

    Toxic Weeds

    • In general, there is nothing to fear in the grass on which lambs graze. Sheep instinctively avoid anything that is toxic, such as weeds or other growth. Sheep, however, do enjoy the taste of weed-killers. Avoid using anything to kill weeds. While the weeds are unlikely to harm the sheep, the weed-killer certainly presents a threat.