Willow Trees: A Natural Solution for Lamb Health
Every shepherd knows the challenge: you’ve done everything right, yet some lambs still fall behind. They’re eating, they’re moving, but something’s missing. Often, the culprit is a quiet one— trace mineral deficiencies like cobalt that slow down growth and weaken overall health. Traditionally, we reach for bagged supplements, mineral blocks, or drenches. They have their place, but they’re far from perfect—blocks dissolve in the rain, supplements get wasted, and when you’re rotating sheep across paddocks it’s hard to guarantee each animal gets enough. That’s why a video I came across from England caught my attention . It highlighted an approach that’s as old as farming itself but often overlooked: the use of willow trees in pasture systems. Willow does more than offer shade—it has a knack for drawing minerals from deep in the soil and storing them in its leaves and twigs. When sheep nibble on willow, they get access to those minerals naturally. For lamb...
