Frequently (and not so frequently) Asked Questions
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.