Cattle and woods

[Goodlife]

I have a fair amount of mature oak forest. I know of course this will not supply the nutrients of a good pasture, but will cattle find food to eat here. Not much underbrush as this is mature forest with 60+ ft Oak trees, some small trees with low leaves though. I suppose the real question would be, is it worth the work and expense of fencing it in for cattle? If I do, do I need to be concerned about mushrooms etc...

Secondly, this forest is beautiful, would I need to be concerned with the cattle harming the forest?

Anyone running cattle in the woods?

 

[Goodlife]

One thing I thought about after my post, the forest floor is covered with acorns. Is this something cattle can eat or a problem if they eat them?

 

[chippie]

Acorns can be poisonous.

http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-3104.pdf

 

[Goodlife]

So much for that idea. Good link. Thanks Chippie.

Ed

 

[Jogeephus]

I wouldn't be so quick to drop the idea. I run cattle in the woods and its a good thing for both the woods and the cattle. Its different for sure and you have to learn when and how to graze it but there are wild forage in the woods that at certain times has nutrient contents that will rival that of alfalfa. Acorns and other poisonous plants can be a problem but only if the cattle eat a lot of them. This is more prone to happen if you force them to stay in the woods and eat things they normally wouldn't. As to the economics of fencing the woods, I wouldn't spend a lot on this since branches will tear down a five strand fence just as easily as one strand of high tensile electric but with the electric you can test the wire to see if anything is wrong rather than having to hike.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have woods under fence that cattle have access to 365 days a year, it is total hardwood forest red oaks 60 feet to the first limb. If it is an oak in East Texas it is in that bottom.

 

[dun]

We fence the cows out of the timber. Big ol cow foots tromping around, rubbing and turning turning under the leaves etc can in the long run damage the trees. Our soil (laugh here) is very thin and most of the roots are witin a couple of inches of the surface.

 

[LRTX1]

I use the woods as a cushion between summer pasture and winter pasture. It keeps/helps me from feeding hay early waiting on the rye to be ready to graze.

 

[circlew]

My granddaddy always said, either your in the cattle business or the timber business.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My granddaddy always said, either your in the cattle business or the timber business.

I have sold both, and if you have a real thick checkbook I will sell you that bottom of cherrybark red oak's.
I get two or three offers a year for those oaks for flooring . If I do sell that bottom it will be for a premium as timber like that is hard to come by in East Texas.

 

[Jogeephus]

My granddaddy always said, either your in the cattle business or the timber business.

I have sold both, and if you have a real thick checkbook I will sell you that bottom of cherrybark red oak's.
I get two or three offers a year for those oaks for flooring . If I do sell that bottom it will be for a premium as timber like that is hard to come by in East Texas.

You better get a premium for it cause good squirrel hunting woods is hard to come by. ;-)

 

[circlew]

I've got about 40 acres of pines and hard wood and when its ready to cut it'll all go into pasture.

 

[Caustic Burno]

My granddaddy always said, either your in the cattle business or the timber business.

I have sold both, and if you have a real thick checkbook I will sell you that bottom of cherrybark red oak's.
I get two or three offers a year for those oaks for flooring . If I do sell that bottom it will be for a premium as timber like that is hard to come by in East Texas.

You better get a premium for it cause good squirrel hunting woods is hard to come by. ;-)

That is the exact reason it hasn't been cut.

 

[Goodlife]

The squirrel hunting is excellent in the woods here also. I guess I also have to admit, I have grown fond of this forest and don't think I could bring myself to cut it. It is a big part of the character of the place even if it doesn't create income.

 

[Brute 23]

We have tons of acorns from oak trees and have had zero problems. As for fencing that is hard to say. Personally I believe in fencing what I own.. good or bad country.. no matter but understand that is may not be worth it in alot of cases.

 

[lavacarancher]

I run cattle in the woods and have for many years. Never had a problem. All of my trees are Oaks of one variety or another and I have about 40 acres with a lot of under brush and most of that is Youpon. The thick pasture is a great Winter pasture. The cattle get back in that stuff when a blue norther is blowin' and never feel a thing. And they use it for birthing.

As far as acorns are concerned I've never had a problem with cows eatin' them. The deer and squirrels eat the heck out of acorns so I don't want to change that. Mushrooms? Well, cows are smarter than some human beans when it comes to eating something that might hurt them.

There are spots in the brush where sunlight can hit the floor and in those areas the grass grows pretty good.

 

[Goodlife]

Using the woods for Winter was the idea I had. I have a large sink hole (must be at least a hundred years old based on the 3 foot diameter oaks) that is in the woods and surrounded on all sides. Thought I might put a shelter down there and when it got real cold the cattle could huddle down there and not feel any wind. I was inclined to fence it in with 3 acres of pasture as a small paddock for winter. It is close to the barn I am planning as well. If I put them there in the fall, there are lots of ferns. Any experience with cattle and ferns? Will they eat them and Is it a reasonable source of protein and energy?

 

[dun]

Using the woods for Winter was the idea I had. I have a large sink hole (must be at least a hundred years old based on the 3 foot diameter oaks) that is in the woods and surrounded on all sides. Thought I might put a shelter down there and when it got real cold the cattle could huddle down there and not feel any wind. I was inclined to fence it in with 3 acres of pasture as a small paddock for winter. It is close to the barn I am planning as well. If I put them there in the fall, there are lots of ferns. Any experience with cattle and ferns? Will they eat them and Is it a reasonable source of protein and energy?

Depends on the fern. Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is toxic.

 

[Jogeephus]

For the most part mine will not eat or do not eat enough bracken to have any problems. I did push them too long in the woods once and had one die of what I think was poisoning from the fern.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

The white oak acorn is the one that causes problems with cattle. After a few frost and freezes on them they won't hurt cattle.