Yes, sheep can eat hay, and for most sheep owners it’s the primary feed during winter months or any time fresh pasture isn’t available. Hay provides the fiber and nutrients sheep need to maintain healthy digestion, though the type and quality of hay matters more than many new owners realize. A typical adult sheep eats 2 to 3 percent of its body weight in dry matter per day, so a 150-pound ewe will go through roughly 3 to 4.5 pounds of hay daily.
Best Types of Hay for Sheep
Not all hay is nutritionally equal. The two broad categories are grass hay and legume hay, and each fits different situations.
Grass hay, usually timothy or orchardgrass, contains about 10% crude protein. That’s enough to sustain adult sheep during maintenance periods when they aren’t pregnant, nursing, or growing. It’s also the more affordable option in most areas, making it a practical everyday feed.
Legume hay, such as alfalfa or clover, packs significantly more protein. Alfalfa averages around 17% crude protein, and clover comes in near 15%. This richer hay is valuable when ewes are in late pregnancy or nursing lambs, since their protein demands jump sharply during those stages. A 50/50 grass-legume mix lands in the middle at roughly 13% crude protein and works well as a compromise feed.
For sheep that are simply maintaining body condition, grass hay is the economical and nutritionally appropriate choice. Save the higher-protein legume hay for the animals that actually need it, or you’ll spend more than necessary and potentially create other problems like excess weight.
Matching Hay to Life Stage
Sheep nutritional needs shift dramatically depending on what their body is doing. A ewe at maintenance only needs about 7.5% crude protein in her diet. During late gestation carrying twins, that requirement jumps to 10.5%, and in early lactation with twins it climbs to 15.5%. Straight grass hay can’t meet that higher demand on its own.
During the last four weeks of pregnancy, ewes should be consuming feed that provides 10.5 to 11.5% crude protein and roughly 3.5 to 4.5 pounds of dry matter per day. A mixed hay or a combination of grass hay with a grain supplement typically hits this target. Ewes nursing twins will often need alfalfa hay or a grain supplement alongside their forage to keep up with the energy drain of milk production.
Lambs and growing animals also benefit from higher-quality hay since they’re building muscle and bone. Rams and wethers (castrated males), on the other hand, do fine on grass hay most of the year. In fact, feeding rams and wethers too much legume hay can throw off their calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and contribute to urinary stones, a painful and sometimes fatal condition. Keeping that mineral balance in check is especially important for male sheep.
Moldy Hay Is Dangerous
The single biggest hay-related risk for sheep is mold. Moldy or spoiled hay can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that attacks the brain, bloodstream, or reproductive system. Sheep that develop the brain form of the disease show depression, loss of appetite, fever, drooling, facial paralysis, and circling. Once these symptoms appear, death often follows within 24 to 48 hours.
Pregnant ewes are at particular risk for the abortion form of listeriosis, which may show no other visible symptoms. The only way to confirm it is through lab testing after a pregnancy loss.
Round bales that have started to rot on the outside are a common source of contamination. Any hay that smells musty, looks dusty or discolored, or feels damp should be discarded rather than fed. Listeriosis is deadly but entirely preventable by keeping hay dry and refusing to offer anything that’s spoiled.
Toxic Plants Hidden in Hay
Some weeds remain poisonous even after they’ve been dried and baled. Sheep can’t sort these out of a flake of hay the way they might avoid a plant growing in a pasture, so contaminated hay poses a real threat.
Plants that stay toxic when dried include:
- Poison hemlock and water hemlock
- Bracken fern (all parts remain toxic in hay)
- Milkweed
- Tansy ragwort
- St. John’s wort
- Lupine
This is especially a concern with hay cut from native pastures or fields that haven’t been well maintained. If you’re buying hay from a new source, ask about the field conditions and inspect bales for unfamiliar plant material before feeding.
Water Needs Go Up With Hay
Fresh pasture grass contains a lot of moisture, but hay is dry forage. When sheep switch from pasture to hay, their water consumption increases noticeably. The general guideline is that sheep drink 1 to 1.5 gallons of water for every 4 pounds of dry matter they eat. A ewe consuming 4 pounds of hay per day needs at least a gallon of clean water, and more in hot weather or during lactation.
Inadequate water access when feeding hay leads to reduced intake, poor digestion, and eventually dehydration. Always make sure fresh water is available and check that it isn’t frozen during cold months.
Reducing Hay Waste
Sheep are messy eaters, and the way you present hay makes a huge difference in how much ends up on the ground. Feeding hay directly on the ground with no feeder results in roughly 45% waste, meaning nearly half of what you put out gets trampled, soiled, and refused.
Open-style feeders cut that waste but still lose 19 to 21% of the bale. Feeders with a sheeted bottom do better, dropping waste to around 5 to 8%. The most efficient designs, basket-style feeders with sheeted bottoms, reduce waste to as low as 3 to 5% of the original bale weight. For anyone buying hay by the ton, the feeder pays for itself quickly.
Smaller, more frequent feedings also help. Sheep are selective and will pick through large piles, pulling out stems and dropping them. Offering what they’ll clean up in a few hours rather than loading a feeder for the week keeps waste down and hay fresher.