Tree's that over hang land ..

NewBeefFarmer

I would have always thought, cut them back, (im talking about the over your head over hanging trees. . . the ones that cattle use for shelter.)

and then with the rain thats promised tonight and this week, i moved the cattle to another field. this is about 3-4 acres, and it has a ring fort in one corner. . full of trees. . . .. was in it tonight. . its like a house. . with a roof. . . shelter that any animal would love. . . . . i let them know that if any of them get pneumonia that they can look after themselves. .


brings me to the question, along boundary hedges, should i allow shelter areas to grow, . . over hang trees. .

restive

I have allowed one hedge that borders two fields to thicken up. It faces north - south so it provides shelter for cattle, but i keep an eye on it and will cut the odd branch if it protrudes to far out into the field.

49801

NewBeefFarmer wrote: »

brings me to the question, along boundary hedges, should i allow shelter areas to grow, . . over hang trees. .

NO!:eek:
you were right the first time;)

This is from some1 who is fighting the trees back.

Birdnuts

Stock appreciate a bit of shelter from intense rain, wind, heat etc. so no harm in having the odd over-hanging tree IMO. Sadly I do not have that option on my place by the coast in North Mayo for obvious climatic reasons(nothing grows much over 5ft!!), which means cows and calves head for the nearest drain - often leading to the smaller calves needing help to get out again:(.

PS: Horrible looking end to the week so I'll probably put them up near the sheds for a bit of shelter!!

pakalasa

I have always been a great believer in natural shelter. You've only to look at how cows behave when the heavy rain hits. They will always head for the high trees. The only problem is when you let bushes and treas grow high, the area undermeath becomes shaded and it kills off the growth. Holes don't take long to appear then.

bogman_bass

I'm with Pakalasa on this one. If low branches get in the way of machinery then I might cut them back. otherwise why deprive stock of shelter?

JohnBoy

Also if bushes are left get too high they can get gappy at the base and then stop being stock-proof.

Muckit

But what about the spout of the poor contractors self propelled?

bogman_bass

well the self propeled wont be on the main grazing block for us.

Any ways He never said "what about the poor farmers gates?" when he was running over them!