Plants liked by cattle

[herofan]

As for things growing in pasture fields and wooded areas around the Kentucky/Tennessee and surrounding state area, aside from grass, what plants do cattle really like and not like? I notice that cows will sometimes reach above their head and eat tree leaves, but I'm not sure they are crazy about them. I notice they don't seem to eat Mayapple, Iron Weeds, or Burdock.

What order would they go in if the grass was eaten down? What would be next? Maple leaves? Would they ever eat Mayapple, Iron Weed, or Burdock if that's all they had, or would that be like us eating cardboard?

 

[SJB]

If they like buttercups, I'm all set!

 

[kenny thomas]

If they like buttercups, I'm all set!

If they liked buttercup they would be all dead.

 

[Bigfoot]

Honey suckle.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Mine will eat burdock when the leaves are young and tender.

 

[dun]

Mine will eat burdock when the leaves are young and tender.

Mine won;t, but hit it with 2,4-d and they think it's salad dressing. As soon as it wilts they clean it up.

 

[Craig Miller]

I had one that liked perilla mint but not anymore

 

[talltimber]

That stuff is as thick as hair on a dog's back around here. I guess none of them ever eat it, thankfully. Way too much to even consider trying to control it as far as I know. Not out in pastures so much, spots, but every fencerow/creek has it in volume along it.

 

[Ebenezer]

They will like more species of plants if they are grazed in multi-species groups. Some cows here will eat thistle heads and blooms because they have seen donkeys do it. We trained the donkeys to eat thistle heads and blooms with syrup. Some cows are better browsers than others. Best we had were Brangus. When all other cows were just standing in the woods the Brangus were eating sweetgum leaves off of trees and such. Sheep eat a lot of stuff that cows will not. Nice combo.