Looking for more natural ways to treat you flock of sheep? Consider using homegrown herbs! These beneficial plants continue to prove effective for livestock and humans alike.
What follows is hardly a formal class in herbalism and shouldn’t be considered such. But below, we do provide a basic list of herbs regarded as safe for use by and treatment of sheep.
You have options, too, when administering herbal treatments. You can add herbs to your flock’s food, rub the oils on your sheep’s body or simply allow the animals to graze on the herb.
Let’s look at some common herbs to used by shepherds to keep sheep healthy and aid when health issues arise. If you wish to use herbs for your flock, consider investing in books on herbs to acquire exact dosage and preparation instructions.
Read more: Chickens love these tasty, nutritious wild herbs!
Common Herbs for Sheep Health
- Garlic: This allium is used to control the worm burden in sheep.
- Lavender: Lavender is often used to treat hoof rot
- Tea Tree: When mixed in a solution, it can cure fly strike and bug bites.
- Oregano/Sage/Rosemary: This blend, when added to sheep feed, has proven itself to be a winning combination for lengthening the shelf life of feed. It also can generally improve the health of a flock of sheep when ingested.
- Yarrow: Yarrow is commonly used as astringent for cleansing wounds, and the herb also serves to repel flies.
- Echinacea: The whole plant can be given to treat inflammation as well as boost you animals’ immune systems.
- Mints: This genus of plant is known to aid digestion and relieve bloat.
Learning to use herbs to keep your sheep healthy and assist when issues arise is cost effective, natural and rewarding. You can use supplements and herbs to keep sheep healthy all year, a natural preventative and powerful defense against problems that do occur.
Overall, herbs provide a plethora of ways to promote and sustain the general health of your sheep.
