What does it take to raise Soay sheep?
Soay sheep need grass and weeds. They actually prefer weeds, brush and grass in that order. In most areas of the continent, pasture growth stops or slows to the point that you will need to provide hay over the winter. How much and for how long depends on your climate and situation. Soay sheep do best on plain grass hay. They have no need for a diet as rich as alfalfa. We’ve found that it pays to buy the best grade of grass hay you can find. The sheep will pick through stemmy hay looking for leaf, and waste a lot of it; hay with a lot of leaf and little stem seems to be money well spent since they eat it all and you don’t have to feed as much. It would be appropriate to offer heavily lactating ewes a supplement of alfalfa or grain or prepared ewe ration to prevent their condition from deteriorating. Rams and wethers should never be fed alfalfa, grain or alfalfa- based ration on a regular basis since the high calcium content of these feeds presents an increased risk of bladderstones. Mal
