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Twenty lactating East Friesian ewes were used in an experiment to determine effects of dietary dried thyme leaves (Thymus vulgaris L., Thy) supplementation on productivity and milk composition. In the experiment, which started on day 43 postpartum, ewes were allocated after equal distribution relative to milk yield and lactation number (i.e., 3), into 2 treatment groups being Thy0 and Thy5 of 10 ewes each and accommodated in group pens. For a period of 56 days (i.e., days 43–98 postpartum), ewes were fed a basal concentrate (0.892 kg dry matter (DM)/ewe/day, crude protein 179 g/kg, DM basis, and net energy for lactation (NEl) 6.95 MJ/kg DM), oat hay (0.083 kg DM/ewe/day) and alfalfa hay (1.364 kg DM/ewe/day). The Thy was added to the concentrate at inclusion levels of 0 and 5 g/kg (as mixed basis) for treatments Thy0 (Control) and Thy5, respectively. All ewes remained healthy until the end of the experiment without visually altered behavior. In the 56 day experimental period, milk yield (979 vs. 1,086 g/ewe/day) increased (P=0.018) and somatic cell counts decreased (P=0.013) with dietary Thy supplementation. In contrast, milk fat, protein, lactose and solid-not-fat content, as well as colony forming units, were not affected (P>0.05), with increased Thy feeding. Dietary Thy supplementation, at inclusion levels up to 5 g/kg of concentrate, increased milk yield of lactating ewes and decreased somatic cell counts.