Cattle and brush question

northeastcallin · #1 03/24/14, 09:13 PM

Hey all,

I've decided that having 7 pigs is nuts, and we've been gradually thinning the herd. I work for a sawmill as a procurement forester and my boss raises Herefords. I've brought up the idea of getting a calf from him this spring, and am wondering how cattle fair with brush? Our land has an overgrown horse pasture of about 7 acres that is about half grass and brassicas (goats and pigs cleared a decent amount) and the rest is either impenetrable multi flora rose or autumn olive (eleagnus umbellata). I can crawl through the autumn olive, and the goats have knocked some back.

Will Herefords, or another breed of cattle, fair well on the property? It would be nice if some of the brush was knocked back over time. I'm only looking to raise a head or two for slaughter.

Thanks,

lakeportfarms · #2 03/25/14, 07:18 AM

We have a very old apple orchard that had been left fallow for 25 years or so when we purchased it. The orchard had been lined with multi-flora roses to keep poachers off. They ended up spreading all over the orchard and up into trees, etc... Scottish Highlands would probably be the best cattle breed to use along with a few goats. The Highlands didn't eat it as much as they would bash it down low for the goats to defoliate the vines. Our Highlands also had perfect looking long coats of hair because they were brushed daily by the roses!

Gabriel · #3 03/25/14, 07:43 AM

Can't say without seeing it, but what they're willing to eat is partly about training. If that's all that's available, they'll eat it, but you don't want to force them to eat things that are bad (or less than good, really) for them.

Spamela · #4 03/25/14, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakeportfarms

We have a very old apple orchard that had been left fallow for 25 years or so when we purchased it. The orchard had been lined with multi-flora roses to keep poachers off. They ended up spreading all over the orchard and up into trees, etc... Scottish Highlands would probably be the best cattle breed to use along with a few goats. The Highlands didn't eat it as much as they would bash it down low for the goats to defoliate the vines. Our Highlands also had perfect looking long coats of hair because they were brushed daily by the roses!

Sorry.... but i was just wondering... We also have an old apple orchard that we wish we could use as pasture but were sure the cattle would bloat or get sick from eating the apples. You have never had this problem?

I also agree that highlands are good for brush. Our neighbor got them specifically to clear out the brush on his bluff. We watched them just ripping away at some briars. Didn't bother them in the least.

PasturedPork · #5 03/26/14, 12:55 AM

Can you improve the pasture via mowing?

1shotwade · #6 03/26/14, 06:30 AM

I've been fighting the rose and olive and daylilly for years.I keep a 25 gal. tank of 2-4-D on the atv all summer and when I go to cut wood or what ever I'll spray and after it dies I bushhog.This works for me. It's just too big of a job to let other things go and address these problems. The land is getting better and better each year.

Wade

lakeportfarms · #7 03/26/14, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spamela

Sorry.... but i was just wondering... We also have an old apple orchard that we wish we could use as pasture but were sure the cattle would bloat or get sick from eating the apples. You have never had this problem?

I also agree that highlands are good for brush. Our neighbor got them specifically to clear out the brush on his bluff. We watched them just ripping away at some briars. Didn't bother them in the least.

Choke is a bigger issue, however if the apples fall naturally to the ground there is a lower risk as they've softened up a bit and they seem to be able to handle them without incident. Our Dexters seem to be a bit more prone to problems with the apples, we've had a couple with choking incidents. Fortunately they came out ok.

opportunity · #8 03/26/14, 01:54 PM

My highlands love brush and apples are even better. They will clean things faster then you think we have put them in some very over grown places and they just bash their way though eating the good stuff.

goodhors · #9 03/26/14, 10:00 PM

Can't you just close the orchard part away from the cattle when there are apples on the trees? Depending on what kind of apples, that could be early summer or fall. I bet that some pigs would be great for apple foraging, turning fruit into meat.

Local orchards here let the pigs out daily after the "good apples" have been picked to sell. Works well for the other fruits too, peaches and plums. Actually have been studying the practice, because the pigs eating fallen fruit leave no place for the pesky insects to lay eggs for next year, to get into the crop. Orchards are showing better profits with no insect damaged fruit. They sell the pigs as "organic" and can charge more!

Cattle will take down a lot of brush over time, going in to stay shaded from heat, wandering here and there. You do need to keep them "greased" for ticks and other bugs found in the woody areas. Our neighbor has always grazed his cattle thru his woodlot, and all the trees have straight trunks, almost no underbrush or limbs as high as the cows can reach. They eat everything brushy. His are mostly Angus and Holstein crosses now, with a new breed of bull every 3-4 years. He has nice quality bulls, but cows are sure a mix of breeds. There are quite a few to keep things cleaned up. Woodlot looks like a NICE park land!! Easy to walk thru, remove fallen limbs or take out trees.