food for shapy area

[jvicars]

I have several shady areas in my pasture which dont grow grass well. I am trying to figure what else I can plant under the trees for the cows to eat. The trees are oaks trees and some pines. I would like to add something that grows in low light and is good for cows. thanks.
jamie in fl

[agmantoo]

My cattle are permitted to eat the acorns as they drop in the Fall. Some do not recommend lettling the cattle eat acorns. As long as the cattle are introduced to the acorns gradually my cattle have had no problems. I doubt that you will find anything that will grow as is under the trees that is worth the effort. If you will thin the trees then run a subsoiler along the drip line to prune the tree roots you can grow some grasses under the trees. It is necessary to fertilize for both the trees and the grass.

[woodspirit]

get rid of the pines and the oaks.
they both dry out the soil and acidify it so that mosses do well but not the grasses you need. Rye and fescue will tolerate some shade. more sunlight would benefit the pasture much. Acorns aren't good for cattle either.

[sammyd]

Are the shady areas really impacting the amount of pasture you have? Are your cows running out of grass?
It's nice to have some shade for the cows but I wouldn't expect anything decent to grow under a tree. It would take a lot of acorns to satisfy a cow even if she would eat them. I don't think mine would...that's a pigs job.
I'd either add more pasture of have less cows if running out of grass is a problem. You could always feed extra hay on a fenceline feeder too.