Bad Idea to Feed Cattle Apples?

We've got a few apple trees on the property that yield a lot of little apples, most of which end up sub-par. This weekend I was giving a few of them to the cattle and they seemed to love them (it even got the tigerstripe to come in close) but I was thinking that there was probably some reason why I shouldn't be doing it. Aside from maybe being a choking hazard and having a small amount of cyanide in the seeds is there any reason to avoid doing it? They're going to get to some no matter what when they fall out of the trees but I'm wondering if I should be at all worried. They're small enough that they put the whole thing in their mouth at once. I suppose I could halve them first.

Thanks in advance.

I'd be concerned about the choking hazard. I didn't think apple seeds contained cyanide - I thought that was peach and apricot pits. I could very well be wrong on that, though.

Other than the choking hazard there is no reason not to feed them. I see a lot of cows that have a couple apple trees in the pasture and very very rarely hear of one choking. I use them for bait to move the cows. They will follow me anywhere for a bucket full of apples and they are free. I do know some people who cut them in two but I just feed them straight. I generally pick up bigger ones that they will have to chew to fit down. I think most of the choking is with the smaller apples.
dave

Alot of apples up here and we feed then when we get the culls that don't mke it in the cider lot. Cows love them, like anything it takes one or two to get them interested then they fight over an apple. They chew the little ones too from what I've noticed.
DMc

Asked my vet about that a couple years ago..said that as they ferment in the rumen, they could have a "drunk" effect on the cattle, you'd have to feed alot I think. We fed them and the cows loved them, I worried about the choking but never had one choke. We have also fed them pear (there was a similar post recently)

We feed half rotten apples all the time in the cool months. Uncle dumps 'em over the fence by the bin full.

I feed them to calfs that we are weaning and i 1/4 them and they love them.
Sam

had a neighbor who was cutting apples in half and feeding. one of the cows got choked and the vet had to come, they finally got the apple pushed on through. he said give them whole apples or quarter them, not cut in half.

Had a neighbor lose a hereford heifer, choked on a apple.

This time of year I have a good source for them, haven't had a problem with any of them choking on them. They love them.

There is also a pear tree in the one field, and what the deer and bears and we don't eat, the cows get. Haven't had a problem with those either.

Katherine

you may not have read my previous posts on cattle and apples. I had a 2600lb bull die as a result of choking on a apple.This bull was bought from Alberta Canada and Shipped 2700 miles too my ranch. In the moring he was happliy eatting apples from our trees and by 1300 hours he had choked and died leaving us no time to entervean or call a vet. I know this may be a rare case but If you can keep your cattle from eatting apples do it.

really dumb,but how would you Hymlick a bull/cow/calf---reach in and get the obstruction??

Yes, it is a bad idea to feed WHOLE APPLES, to cattle. Having owned and operated an apple orchard, i have much experience in feeding cattle , apples. Cattle will choke on whole apples If fthey are allowed to become rotten, and mushy, they are safe to feed. Or if ground or finely chopped, they are safe to feed. Apple pomices from an apple juicer or apple processing plant are acceptable to feed cattle. Many farmers in apple country use apples for supplemental filler.

A neighbour fed apple pomices in dry times, but I think he got too greedy, ordered too much at a time and it started fermenting. he fed this to his cattle and had most of his cows abort. I don't think the danger is for a very long period, but there is a certain stage in the gestation when fermented apple pomices is dangerous for the foetus, consult with your vet first before making this standard practice.

Having said that I have fed plums and apricots as an emergency drought feed without problems, but wouldn't do this under more favourable conditions.

peg4x4":2csyz0pi said:

really dumb,but how would you Hymlick a bull/cow/calf---reach in and get the obstruction??

Click to expand...

I posted before that I had a cow choke on a hedge apple. The vet used the round metal tube that was part of his "tubing" kit. It was a metal tube about 3/4" diameter. He rammed the apple on down her throat. I was no more than 10 yr old, but I kinda think he was just acting on his best instinct. It worked that time.

i found one of my jerseys standing near a few apple trees with her ears down, mooing lowly and sort of walking funny....she was a real mess so i pushed her to the barn and an old neighbor told me she was drunker than a skunk !!!! the next morning i went in the barn and beat on a big garbage can....shoulda seen the look SHE gave me :lol:
the apples started to ferment on the ground in the heat of the day, kinda like my beer and hard cider mix....never woulda thought that one till just then!

I have literally hundreds of apple trees in my cow pastures and it's never caused a problem for me.
My cows have access to them all the time though so they don't run each other over trying to get them and keep them cleaned up pretty good.
Grass doesnt grow under an apple tree....only hoof prints grow there :lol:

now that i think of it, the apples the jersey got into were laying on the ground for more than a few days..oooppppssss....then there was ther bed sheet thing with her....but that is another story....