Just a question for someone...

[luvrulz]

My hubby seems to think that he can let the cows out into the orchard and they won't eat the budding trees. I tell him he's crazier than a hoot owl and told him no way was he going to do that!

Hmmmm... Any feedback is greatly appreciated! He's one of those guys that's always right.... Is he once again correct?

:no:

[pygmywombat]

He's wrong. Cows love to eat buds, leaves, and blossoms, especially on fruit trees. They'll strip the branches bare as high as they can reach.

[moopups]

Cows will eat leaves as quick as they will eat grass, it depends on how much grass is available, the condition of the grass, the individual taste of the grass, its tenderness, ect. If the grass is not right, they will eat tree leaves in a heartbeat.

[luvrulz]

I just love being right once in a blue moon! Thanks so much!

:haha:

[Lazy J5]

I put cattle panels around my apples trees and my Dexters still try to push the panels over to get to the trees. They love the new leaves and buds and will bite off new little (and sometimes not so little) branches. :no:

[Valmai]

If you want to be buying all your fruit for the next couple of years by all means put the cows in the orchard. :no: :no:

You could put electric fencing up, but remember they can stretch their necks a loooong way for something tasty.

[JeffNY]

Ours eat the bottom of the apple trees, but I like the look. The trees look nice and flush. These apple trees are old, some are 30' tall or so.


Jeff

[shorty'smom]

Unless the fruit trees are mature and have a canopy the cattle cannot reach, they will destroy the trees. Even if the trees are mature, they will eat what they can reach, and maybe rub some bark off the trunk for good measure, because it makes a good scratching post.

[Jena]

cows are very hard on trees, even if you aren't concerned with fruit. I keep mine out of the woods for the most part. I do let them in for a day to two every month or so just to keep the brush down.

Jena

[Christiaan]

Cows were originally forest browsers, not grassland grazers. Therefor, they will eat as much of a tree as they can reach. When they are done with the leaves and branches they'll begin to peel the bark. Don't let them in your orchard, unless of course you want to turn it into a pasture.

I know the Bos family are grazers, but the species from which domestic cattle were developed had become forest browsers. The Aurochs in Europe and W Asia, a couple of forest breeds in India and SE Asia. (self-edited)

[BDB]

I must be lucky I have apple trees in all my pastures and the cows never touch em some of the branchs hang low to they do eat the bottoms of the cedar trees though keep em trimed up nice

[herefordman]

YUMMY TREES!!!!!!!!!!!
Ours have destroyed the few natural apple trees that were in the pasture, they love them apples !!!