acorns and cattle

[brandonm_13]

I don't want to sound like acorns are nothing to worry about, but they are really just like dozens of other feedstuffs. Sometimes they kill, sometimes they're good.

Prussic acid poisoning (cyanide)
nitrate poisoning
tannins
edophyte fungus
hay mold
legume bloat
mineral deficiencies (white muscle disease, grass tetany)
mineral toxicities (copper in sheep)
etc...

 

[dun]

I don't want to sound like acorns are nothing to worry about, but they are really just like dozens of other feedstuffs. Sometimes they kill, sometimes they're good.

Prussic acid poisoning (cyanide)
nitrate poisoning
tannins
edophyte fungus
hay mold
legume bloat
mineral deficiencies (white muscle disease, grass tetany)
mineral toxicities (copper in sheep)
etc...

I agree, if I removed everything that could possibly be toxic I would psend all my time cruising the pastures.
With even semi-decent pasture/forage any of the toxic stuff (unless the animal has a depraved appetite) won;t be consumed in large enough quantitys to cause a problem.

 

[TexasBred]

I don't want to sound like acorns are nothing to worry about, but they are really just like dozens of other feedstuffs. Sometimes they kill, sometimes they're good.

Prussic acid poisoning (cyanide)
nitrate poisoning
tannins
edophyte fungus
hay mold
legume bloat
mineral deficiencies (white muscle disease, grass tetany)
mineral toxicities (copper in sheep)
etc...

Most of those are "hit and miss" things that could be dangerous. Tannic Acid is always present in acorns and cattle given access to them are at a much higher risk IF they develop a taste for them. Sort of like giving someone small amounts of poison until you find out the what amount is lethal. :cry2:

 

[Caustic Burno]

The only oaks here that are a problem are live oaks.You don't find them in the pastures, my pastures are full of oaks as well as everyone elses around here. People of the south have ran cattle in the woods for centuries. This was open range community pasture which consisted of thousand of acres of nothing but woods until the late fifties early sixties. Buttercups are deadly to cattle as well and you can find them about any pasture.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Buttercups are deadly to cattle as well and you can find them about any pasture.

I have a couple of areas that are chock full of Buttercups when they come in. I have never known any of my cows to eat them. Goats won't touch 'em, neither will the hogs. I don't know anything that will eat a Buttercup.

Oh, and my cows have access to acorns, but from what I can tell they don't eat very many of them as I often see plenty left behind on the ground. The hogs like them, except my one sow, she won't touch the things.

Katherine

 

[TexasBred]

The only oaks here that are a problem are live oaks.You don't find them in the pastures, my pastures are full of oaks as well as everyone elses around here. People of the south have ran cattle in the woods for centuries. This was open range community pasture which consisted of thousand of acres of nothing but woods until the late fifties early sixties. Buttercups are deadly to cattle as well and you can find them about any pasture.

Access to acorns is one thing....eating a gut full is something else. Mycattle love to get to the oak leaves that are low enough to eat but never seen one eat an acorn but I'm sure they have eaten a few.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

White Oak acorns to some cows taste better than sweet feed. Red Oak acorns are bitter tasting so most of the time cattle won't eat very many of them.

 

[brandonm_13]

The big problem with tannins are just like dewormers. Goat producers know that forages that contain tanins kill parasites, but too much could be detrimental to the goat's health. Commercial dewormers are toxic. But at the correct dosage, it only kills the parasites. At much higher dosages, it could kill whatever you are trying to cure. Personally I think this is all moot. It I had access to acorns, and had it fenced in for cattle, I would make it hog-proof and let them in first. I mean, have you seen how much acorn-finished pork sells for??? In some fancy-smancy restaurants where they eat snails and raw stuff, it can sell for up to a couple hunred a pound. That's more profitable than cattle. :nod:

 

[TexasBred]

Now Brandon that's sort of like that "grass fed" beef...how do you prove to the customer that those hogs are "acorn finished"?? ;-)

 

[dyates]

All I'd like to know is how herfdog got that cow to lie down. Ten minutes or ten days would make no difference for me.

 

[brandonm_13]

Now Brandon that's sort of like that "grass fed" beef...how do you prove to the customer that those hogs are "acorn finished"?? ;-)

Never thought about that... :???:

 

[Workinonit Farm]

...how do you prove to the customer that those hogs are "acorn finished"?? ;-)

Let 'em have a taste. Hogs fed out on acorns have a different flavor.

[by dyates]

All I'd like to know is how herfdog got that cow to lie down. Ten minutes or ten days would make no difference for me.

Perhaps the rope was rigged up like a "running W". That'll make them go down.

Katherine

 

[brandonm_13]

I've got something that'll make them lay down every time. It's the getting back up part I'm having problems with. :???: