Farmers Warned On

Farmers Warned On

Livestock & Acorns

‘‘DANGER-ACORN CON'T AMIN ATION-WOODLAND CLOSED TO LIVESTOCK GRAZING.” Thii type of sign is never seen on a farm woodland area reports Forester William C. Vemam of the Virginia Division of Forestry but it might be a very good idea as acorn mast can kill valuable livestock. Losses have been attributed to the excessive tannic acid in the acorns.

Woodland areas used for livestock grazing are often high hazard areas for animals as there are many woodland plants capable of severe poisoning which often results in animal mortality. It is also not uncommon tor animals to break a leg in old stump holes, fox dens and ground

hog holes. Animals have also been known to get wedged between trees and if they have not been located quickly, they have starved to death or been frozen to death during winter months. Livestock with neck chains for identification can also be severely injured if they become entangled in brush or tree tops.

Is it really worth the risk to allow high value livestock to roam farm woodland areas? Woodland makes poor pasture land with little nutrition in the browse found there. Animals will not gain on woodland pasture and in most cases they will barely hold their weight.

Not only do animals suffer but trees also suffer when livestock use woodland areas for pasture. Constant rubbing and barking of trees near ground level soon open the way for disase and insect attack. Forest soils become severely compacted, leaf litter is destroyed and water runoff is increased often causing a severe soil erosion problem to develop over a period of time. Any way you look at it, woodland grazing is bad business.

Forester Vernam urges landowners to fence their woodlands to protect livestock, trees, soil and water. Properly established fencing is a most Important farm practice.