Keeping your flock happy and healthy while keeping their diets diverse and nutritious can be challenging. Nutritionists recommend balancing their feed by adding different types of food to their diet instead of relying on just one type of food.
But what about kale? Will sheep eat kale? And if so, how much kale can sheep eat? Does it have any special precautions when feeding it to your ewes or lambs?
Sheep can definitely eat kale, this vegetable is considered a superfood, it’s packed with vitamins and minerals that will bring many nutritional benefits to ewes.
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Kale Nutritional Values
Kale is a superfood rich in vitamins and minerals. A 100 g serving has 28 calories, 1.3 g protein, 4.8 g fiber, 4.2 g sugar, 0.1 g fat, and 47 mg sodium.
Kale contains vitamins A, C, and K, manganese, iron, calcium, and beta-carotene. It also has high amounts of antioxidants and antioxidants help fight diseases and aging.
One of the most beneficial traits is that has crazy anti-inflammatory properties other than being a complete protein source.
Which means it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Amino acids are what make up protein, and protein is essential for building and repairing muscle tissue, among other things.
Benefits of Feeding Sheep Kale
Kale is packed with vitamins and minerals that benefit the health and well-being of your flock. Let’s take a look at its benefits.
– Boosts Immunity: Kale is a great source of beta carotene, which helps strengthen the immune system by making white blood cells. White blood cells are what fight off infections and diseases.
– Builds Strong Bones and Teeth: Kale has high amounts of calcium which is crucial for strong bones and teeth. – Promotes Growth and Development in Young Animals: Kale is a great source of protein which is crucial for growth. It also provides essential amino acids.
– Prevents Urinary Tract Diseases: Kale contains large amounts of Vitamin C which helps the udders stay healthy. Vitamin C also prevents infections in the urinary tract.
– Encourages Growth of Wool: Kale is rich in iron, which is crucial for the growth of wool. It also provides other minerals that help the wool grow strong.
– Protects against Cancer: Kale has high amounts of beta carotene which is converted into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is an anti-oxidant and anti-oxidants protect against cancer.
How To Feed Kale To Sheep?
Here are some tips and tricks for feeding kale to your sheep:
– Start with a small amount: When feeding your sheep kale for the first time, start with a small amount. Make sure there are no signs of digestive issues. If that is the case, stop feeding it to your flock and consult with a veterinarian.
– Balance their diet: Make sure to give other vegetables to your flock as well. Don’t feed them only kale. This way, they will get the most out of the kale and avoid digestive issues.
– Feed during the growing season: If you live in a temperate climate, you can feed your flock kale all year around. Make sure it is organically grown and doesn’t have any pesticides.
What Vegetables Are Good For Sheep?
There are many different vegetables that can be given to sheep, such as kale, turnips, carrots, beans, peas, and collard greens.
Feeding fresh vegetables to your flock is a great way to add variety to their diet, improve their health, and provide them with some much needed fiber.
Keep in mind that not all vegetables are good for sheep. Here is a list of vegetables that are safe to feed to your flock and ones that are not. Vegetables to feed sheep –
– Cabbage – Cabbage is a great vegetable for sheep because it is packed with vitamins and minerals, and is high in fiber.
– Turnips – Turnips are another great vegetable for sheep. They are high in Vitamin C, which helps prevent udders from getting sick.
– Carrots – Carrots are a great vegetable for your sheep because they are high in beta carotene, which helps prevent cancer and promotes reproductive health in ewes.
– Beans – Beans are another great vegetable for sheep. They are high in protein, which helps promote growth in lambs and kids.
– Collard Greens – Collard greens are another great vegetable for sheep. They are high in calcium, which helps promote strong bones and teeth.
Conclusion
Kale is a very nutritious vegetable that can be fed to sheep as a regular part of their diet. Providing kale to sheep is a great way to improve their overall health and keep them well nourished.
Make sure to always provide other types of food as well, and make it a regular part of their diet.
