Shortage of Sheep and Goat/Cube Pellets on-Island

There is a shortage of sheep and goat cube/pellets on the Island.

The Veterinary Service would like to advise all farmers NOT to feed pig pellets to sheep or goats. PIG FEED IS FATAL FOR SHEEP AND GOATS.

The reason is copper. Pig feed is supplemented with copper as it makes pigs grow faster. However, sheep are over 10 times more sensitive to copper than pigs, and too much dietary copper is poisonous. The copper content of the standard commercial pig feed on the island is 50% above the fatal dose for sheep, and if fed to them will cause: diarrhoea, excess thirst, then liver and kidney failure, followed shortly afterwards by death.

DO NOT GIVE PIG FEED TO SHEEP OR GOATS – IT WILL KILL THEM

Enquiries: Veterinary Section tele: 24724

SHG

30 September 2019

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: communications@sainthelena.gov.sh