Pond clarity with cattle vs. ducks

[Kell-inKY]

I guess I will put this in the pasture section, there is not a pond section and it doesn't fit anywhere else really.

I have an ongoing debate with my wife on who is muddying up the ponds more, her ducks or the cattle. I had 6 head on these ponds last year and although they got a little muddier, nothing like this past year after she got these goofy ducks.

I knew nothing about ducks before this, but I started noticing how they forage in the water and it looks like a blender when they put their bills in there and move back and forth. You can see a huge cloud of muddy water after they get done. Yes, the cattle get in in the summer but I never noticed the amount of muddy water being really bad. When they are off the pasture with pond in front of the house (main pond where those ducks live) I don't notice it clearing up, even after a month.

In a perfect world I would fence the ponds off from the cattle but they are the main things you see when we have visitors and we don't want a bunch of ugly fences blocking our view or fishing. This may be the next option though if it really is the cattle. Maybe I am looking for an excuse to get rid of the ducks since they annoy me and come up and try to eat out of the chicken feeders. Here is a pic of the worst pond, though it is not super muddy in this picture like now, it is the only picture I have at the moment. You can see the muddy sides from it being low.

So, are the ducks worse than the cattle?

 

[Bigfoot]

In due time, the cattle may destroy the pond. Pretty place btw.

 

[rla442]

Unless your wife has a ton of ducks, I'll bet the cattle keep the pond muddier.
On my pond/water hole, the ducks keep all the weeds and algae from overtaking the shallow pond. Cows will destroy the banks and before you know it the pond is filled in. My pond is too shallow for NE Ohio and I'll get a kill off of fish so the cattle and duck share the pond for now. One day I'll dig the pond out and the ducks will stay but the cattle wont be back in it. My problem is those dang snapper turtles like duck. I trap the heck out of the turtles but they always seem to get a couple a year.

 

[Kell-inKY]

Thanks, guess I needed a shove. I've seen ponds under a lot of cattle pressure and don't want that, was hoping my few would be ok, but that's wishful thinking I guess. More work! Before I opened everything up I was having to water them twice a day so I was pretty excited about ending that. Oh yeah, we are down to 8 or 9 ducks, thought that might take care of itself this winter but no luck.....

 

[Bigfoot]

Run a single hot wire around the pond. You'll hardly be able to see it from the house.

 

[HDRider]

Fess up. You just wanted to show off them Fords.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Fess up. You just wanted to show off them Fords.

They are nice aren't they?

I agree with Bigfoot, beautiful place.

 

[HDRider]

Fess up. You just wanted to show off them Fords.

They are nice aren't they?

I agree with Bigfoot, beautiful place.

All looks real good..

 

[Kell-inKY]

I wish they were still that clean, but yes, I'll admit that is why I took the picture back in the summer. I've got a thing about old tractors even though I really need a larger diesel for the farm, plus it's all we can afford.

Single wire might work, maybe poly and then reel it up to mow, don't think they make it in black though. They are real good about respecting a single too. It's that weedy-ness of a fenceline I hate. I think I'll take that pic down, it's a little hey look at me :oops:

 

[HDRider]

I wish they were still that clean, but yes, I'll admit that is why I took the picture back in the summer. I've got a thing about old tractors even though I really need a larger diesel for the farm, plus it's all we can afford.

Single wire might work, maybe poly and then reel it up to mow, don't think they make it in black though. They are real good about respecting a single too. It's that weedy-ness of a fenceline I hate. I think I'll take that pic down, it's a little hey look at me :oops:

We like lookin' at 'em..

 

[highgrit]

To late we all know that you have a nice place. And 2 old Ford tractors. I didn't pay very good attention to what model they were though. Was the first one a power master? And was the second one a 8n or 9n?

 

[M5farm]

Everybody likes pics and says hey look at me. Some more than others.

 

[Bigfoot]

One in front might be an naa. That gravel drive gives a little info on which part of west ky you live in.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I would have liked to see it.

 

[Kell-inKY]

Pretty good memory for just a glance, front one is an 800 series, 850 to be exact, rear is an 861 Powermaster of course. Excellent small farm tractor, though I will probably paint the 800 hood red to match a workmaster, I hate that grey hood, or trade it in on an Oliver 77 or 88.....

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Excelent looking tractors and farm.

 

[Kingfisher]

Are you shittin me?

 

[HDRider]

I want to find me a good Ford like that someday.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Are you shittin me?

Why would you say something like that?

 

[HDRider]

Are you shittin me?

Why would you say something like that?

I was wondering that too...