# Once and for all: Sheep and Cherry trees



## ErikaMay (Feb 28, 2013)

Lets clear this up once and for all:

Do all types of cherries poison sheep, or just wildcherry/choke cherry?
What point are the leaves poisonus? Will leaves that fall off in the autumn cause problems, or is it only crispy dried leaves? 

I've got a section of pasture that the sheep have been eyeing but theres I giant Rainer cherry tree dropping leaves. Am I safe to let them graze there, or not?


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Here is some info on it. Personally I won't chance it, but it is up to you.

http://sheep.osu.edu/2012/07/09/poisonous-trees/

http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/~laurie/orchard_tree_toxicity.html

And something I wrote up a number of years ago.
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/sheep/31663-sheep-basics-toxic-plant-list.html


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## dlskidmore (Apr 18, 2012)

My pasture has a lot of poisonous plants. So far the sheep have been smart about it and left them for the mower while they pick around it. (We'll get there, mowing them down regularly after the sheep go through to help the grass compete better.) If you do chance it, start with their bellies full so they don't gorge on something bad for them.


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## kirsten (Aug 29, 2005)

All I know for absolute certainty is that sour cherry trees are safe and that is all we have around here.


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## Two Tracks (Jul 13, 2013)

I have wild cherry tree in one pasture (I don't want to cut down) the sheep have been in this pasture for over 10 yrs in Fall without any problems, there is plenty of other feed for them. Don't know if this helps but that has been my experience. I do wonder if I should cut down that tree but I don't have the heart to do it as long as there isn't a problem. I'd like to hear from others as well...


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

I have an abundance of Choke Cherry trees here, there are at least a few in each pasture. The sheep have been grazing around them for years, fall too, without any problems.


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