# Cows in woods



## Tall Grille (May 4, 2011)

We are currently searching for a property to buy to expand our homestead. Anything with any pasture land is out of our price range so we are looking at wooded lots. My wife wants to raise a few beef critters as soon as we get the land. I had planned to clear cut a few acres and get some good grass growing before getting into cows but this will take a few years that my wife doesn't want to wait. How well do cows do in woods? What dangers exist in the woods? Any tree species to keep them away from? What about mushrooms that grow in the woods?


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

This was discussed not too long ago; here's the thread:

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/cattle/554010-grazing-woodlands.html


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Try to buckle down and find two acres of grazing land, ready to go with vegetation and fertile soil underneath. Two acres as I've described can sustain two adult steers during the fall summer and spring....Save up my friend it's the smart choice....Topside


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

A perpetual concern for those that raise cattle in bush country is predators. 

Do the woods you mention house bear or big cats? Both enjoy beef in their diet.


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

We started with almost solids woods. We had several goats and 2 cows. We just fenced in about an acre close to the house with 8ft game fence. Then hayed them for a while. Then hired a logger to come in and cut a couple acres. The next year those couple acres were green and lush. Stumps are all over but they rot fairly quick. Cleared woods are very fertile. It will be able to support them pretty quick. Many folks raise wooded cattle.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

As you have stated, open land is more costly than wooded parcels. Just as a motorcycle is more costly than a bicycle. 

Often, land that is nonproductive, due to being swampy, rocky or drought prone is allowed to revert back into woods. Clearing the trees simply removes any value the land had.

Deer and goats eat tree and brush leaves. Cattle eat grass. Not much grass, due to shade, in the woods. Cattle hooves damage tree roots, inviting disease and rot. 

Wild Cherry leaves are poisonous. 

If wooded pastures worked, only fools would be pasturing cattle in the more costly fields. Trees can serve as a winter wind break and summer shade, but cannot be expected to provide much feed.


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## Dupree (Jan 28, 2014)

We are In the process of fencing off 70 acres of woods for our cattle. There is most certainly some benefit to running cattle they the woods. Check out Silvopasture! It works, I've seen it. This will be "added" to our rotational grazing schedule so the cows will not be in the woods exclusively. Everything will benefit!!


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Everything will benefit? Ever see the damage cattle do in a wood lot? Smaller trees destroyed. damaged bark on the roots from hooves. Once the eatable plants are eaten, noxious weeds grow and since they aren't eaten, set seed. Eventually the weeds take over. In a pasture, you can mow the weeds before they set seed. In a woods, not so much.


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## TAGoodwin (Mar 6, 2013)

Go for it. I have 60 acres west of Dallas, TX. 5 acres prairie grasses, 55 acres post oaks. I have kept 6 To 16 head of cattle on this place for 10 years. They have done fine. I borrow a neighbor's bull. My cows have a healthy calf each year.


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

I'm running 68 head in 3, 50 acre open hardwoods tracks right now. Been running in those same woods since 1974. And it was over 125 head at one point. The woods are healthy and so are the cattle. We broadcast and over seed where we can and spread litter. They keep the saplings down. The oaks can handle the rubbing just fine. Infact there is only 2 dead trees in the entire woods.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

For the original poster: Full grown cattle need 25 pounds of dry matter per day to remain healthy, that's a lot of dried leaves. So assuming the cattle are eating green leaves that's a bunch more leaves to eat per day and would quickly reek havoc on your management plan. Plus leaves don't grow back as quick as grasses, little nutritional value, and cattle can only reach so high to eat leaves. This forest grazing may be ideal for some folks but you sound like beginners so stick with land that mowable and green.....Topside


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## Dupree (Jan 28, 2014)

We will move our cattle once or twice a day so they won't have time to destroy much. I would never leave them in a wood lot and let them destroy things, that would just be silly ya know! Back to the original question, to say it can't be done would not be true. To do it exclusively, that would not be recommended. To supplement your grazing and let the cows enjoy it and reap the benefit of their work, absolutely. Where I'm at its dense thick forest and we still have grasses that grow. If you thin things out and move the cattle through grass will grow even better!


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## Dupree (Jan 28, 2014)

We will move our cattle once or twice a day so they won't have time to destroy much. I would never leave them in a wood lot and let them destroy things, that would just be silly ya know! Back to the original question, to say it can't be done would not be true. To do it exclusively, that would not be recommended. To supplement your grazing and let the cows enjoy it and reap the benefit of their work, absolutely. Where I'm at its dense thick forest and we still have grasses that grow. If you thin things out and move the cattle through grass will grow even better!


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

My Dexters work for me, helping clear wooded area and turning it into pasture. In this picture you can see what used to be an impenetrable section of woods in which no grass grew. The cows, with help from an equal number of goats, cleared the trees and brush to the point that grass could grow. Not much, but as more and more trees are killed, more and more grass will grow.

The cattle enjoy the shade and variety of diet, while I never have to lift a finger to clear the land.

All the cedar trees were killed first. I have used the cedars to build a hayring 

http://s270.photobucket.com/user/genebo16/library/Round bale feeder?sort=6&page=1

I also use the cedar to add to and repair fencing. It makes great fence posts. I've even sold wood from the animal killed trees on craigslist, to artisan woodworkers.

My cows and I love the woods. I will miss them when they are gone one day. Meanwhile, I'm glad we have them.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Here's another photo of a woodlot used by goats and steers. As Genebo mentioned, I love walking in the woods that was cleared by animals, and a little help from me....


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

topside1 said:


> Here's another photo of a woodlot used by goats and steers. As Genebo mentioned, I love walking in the woods that was cleared by animals, and a little help from me....


That is a beautiful photo. But I wouldn't want livestock in or so close to a stream. But that might just be a regional difference. Lakes, streams and rivers in Michigan drain into the Great Lakes. It is not acceptable to pasture livestock in a stream bank. While properly graveled cattle crossings are allowed, the erosion and manure from direct contact is environmentally disrespectful. While it appears the stocking rate in the photo is very low, a clear understanding of stream bank damage must be considered.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Where I am we have the "Chesapeake Bay Watershed" deal, and people are encouraged to fence livestock away from streams and rivers because of it. NRCS has programs to help pay to do this.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

We manage our woodlands for timber production and would never think of pasturing livestock in any of our woods. In fact, we are still dealing with the remnants of the damage caused by my great grand father when he pastured cattle in one of our woodlots.


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## WVhillbilly (Mar 11, 2016)

About half our pastures were wooded and the cattle didn't do as much damage as you'd think. They cleared out a lot of the useless underbrush but that was about the extent of it


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## Gravytrain (Mar 2, 2013)

It really depends on what you want to do with your woodlots. If you want them mature but cleared and healthy, but not regenerating new growth, cows won't destroy much especially if it's well drained. If you manage your woodlots for long term future income, you absolutely, positively do not want any livestock in those areas.

I have an area that is almost entirely hemlock. My cows pretty much have the run of it except where there is a stream running through it. They are not going to hurt it and it gives them a great windbreak, sunshade, and precipitation cover. My cows go nowhere inside a hardwood stand.


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## Tall Grille (May 4, 2011)

We do not intend to use the woods as a woodlot. I will be clearing areas for pasture. My uncle has a business digging stumps to grind for mulch. He will dig all the stumps for free in trade for the mulch. I will leave any Maples for tapping. I will keep some oaks for acorns for the pigs. Any other tree's are fair game. The house has a pellet stove and enough pellets for this winter and half of next. I may swap it out for a woodstove in the future and heat with my own trees. There is an abundance of Pine that will be used for lumber for animal shelters. We should he closing mid-Oct and we won't be ready for cows for 2017 so it will probably be spring 2018 before we get cattle. I will be doing a lot of clearing between now and then.


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## rockpile1 (Aug 24, 2016)

Ok living in an area with mostly woods. People would burn each Spring and run Cattle.

If it was me I would run Goats and cut Firewood. Over time run some Cattle.

rockpile


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