Safe Shade Trees?

[lonecowhand]

    I need to plant some shade. Does anyone have suggestions of fast growing trees that are safe for cattle to sample, or better yet, are nutritious?
   like that can be in the paddock , not outside the fence?

[genebo]

You don't say where you are, so the trees I like in my pasture in Virginia may not even grow in yours.

I like poplars. They drop leaves that my cattle love to eat, and nothing else.

I like sweet gums. Cattle love the leaves and goats love the bark as well.

I like holly trees. Neither the goats nor the cattle like the leaves very well, but they will eat them in the dead of winter, when they are the only thing green around. They have such an umbrella shape and make good shade.

I like oaks, because they are such sturdy trees and make such good shade. In light production years, the acorns are goof feed for cattle and goats. In heavy production years, I fence off the acorn drop area.

I like maples. So do the cattle and goats. The leaves taste good and they make good shade. The worst thing about them is that their roots grow so shallow that they kill the grass under them.

I doubt that I could plant and grow any of these trees while the livestock was grazing the pasture. They'd eat them to the ground.

Some other trees that live in the woods in my pasture are: beech, hickory, persimmon, cedar and pine. There aren't many cedar or pine trees left. The bark is too tasty. The goats girdle the trees and kill them.

[lonecowhand]

Oh, Sorry Genebo. I'm in Northern California, and we can grow virtually anything, if we provide adequate irrigation. I forgot you have goats,I guess nothing is goat proof. I figured to have to wrap any young trees in fence, I'd have to do that just to keep the abundant deer at bay.
You did mention that the cattle love and eat this or that, do you know if there any nutrient value or is it just not necessarily harmful?
Bill

[genebo]

I have no clue as to the nutrient value of any of the trees. I just know that they enjoy eating them. Sometimes they leave lush pasture to feed on trees.

Our agricultural research center tells us about various beneficial plants, including trees, fruits and nuts. All of those I mentioned appear on their lists.

One I didn't mention was pear trees. I have two huge old pear trees in the pasture that made big shade, but I always worry that a big limb will break off and the cattle will overeat on it. Pears have the same toxicity as cherries, except in lesser amounts.

My pasture was an old homestead, dating from 1903. Lots of different varieties were growing here when I introduced the Dexters and goats.

As a matter of fact, the old abandoned farm house could not be seen for the heavy growth of roses, honeysuckle, poison ivy, sweet gum and a lot of other brush. I tried to bulldoze a path to it using my front end loader, but no go. I tried to brush hog it by backing into it, but no go. That's when I put the first dexters and goats in there. Within two months I walked into the little house to look around. All the brush was gone, the trees had been trimmed as high as a goat or cow could reach, and it looked like a park.

No Dexters or goats were harmed in eating all that variety of vegetation.

[lonecowhand]

That's great to know. I had read somewhere(?)that there are acacias that are promoted for browse due to the high protein content.
Perhaps Donlin can help out here, (they have acacia down under).

[otf]

Bill, contact your county agricultural extension agent and get him/her to come take a look at your property. Your regional soil and water people can also help as well as the NRCS office in your area. People who are experts in your area are the best ones to contact about what is growing in your pastures, what needs to stay and what needs to go.

[genebo]

That is the best advice.

[lonecowhand]

Thank you both,

otf: what is NRCS? And because I don't know how to personal message,(Different topic) Was Pixie of Sussex registered?

Genebo: So one could say your Dexters are better than a brush hog? I know the parklike effect, my old apple trees used to be perfectly trimmed by deer as high as they could dance!

[genebo]

I think that NRCS is National Resources Conservation Service. Virginia has a state-administered set of soild and water conservation districts. I live in the Appomattox Soil & Water Conservation District. They administer lots of programs for new and small farmers. Most are aimed at saving our clean water using good farming practices. They provide financial assistance for a variety of practices.

The USDA has a program called EQIP that is similar.

You should check to see if California has similar programs. Look up your local USDA office and start with them. Our state district has it's office in the same building as the USDA office.

[otf]

Sorry, lonecowhand, I haven't checked here for a while. Thanks, Gene, for defining NRCS. The people involved with that organization locally are VERY helpful. Their requirements are a bit more stringent now than they were when we first got involved with them (CRP program). Now they require a nutrition manager and a manure management plan and it seems like a lot of red tape and fine print now if you sign up with one of their programs. But they give good advice and have a lot of great booklets etc.

Yes, Pixie was registered. Look under Storm's Pixie of Sussex, ADCA #8210.