Skip to main content

PLEASE NOTE:
"Poisonous" does not mean deadly. Some manifestations of toxicity are subtle. The dose, as always, determines if a plant is safe source of nutrients or a toxic hazard.

Frequently (and not so frequently) Asked Questions

Simple keyword search (one or two words only)

 


BRIEF: Can you send me a list of plants toxic to sheep?


QUESTION:
Can you send me a list of toxic plants for sheep? I have Holly trees which I am not sure about and pine trees.

ANSWER:

That would be a long list, and vary a lot by region. Check out the fine poisonous plants sections in the last two editions of the SID handbook for sheep producers. On the other hand, I can tell you that holly berries from many species cause vomiting in humans, although the caffeine extractable from a few other species make it the base for a rather stimulating beverage. The leaves of most species are spiny and pretty unplatable, and I know nothing about their toxicity. Pine trees, especially young ones, suffer alot more from sheep than the sheep do from them. Larger amounts of pine needles, ingested during pregnancy, can and have caused premature delivery and abortion.