Author Topic: Bracken as bedding for pigs (Read 9005 times)

tizaala · « **on:** August 30, 2011, 04:59:03 pm »

As straw will be in short and expensive supply this winter we have obtained a couple of last years round bale bracken to use for the pigs bedding , they seem to enjoy it and it lasts a bit longer than straw ever did.
Does anyone else use it ? and are there any known problems with using it?

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2011, 05:15:51 pm »

It's what they used to use in 'olden times'. And the used bedding then put all those brought-up-from-the-deep nutrients back on the soil when spread back on the land after the winter.

These days we hear a lot about bracken being carcinogenic. I don't know if dried baled bracken would still have this effect, nor whether the pigs will eat it in this state or just lie on it.

I've thought for many years it would be good to go back to the old way on this. But where I am now we don't (yet) have much bracken about.

I'd love to hear how you get on tizaala

Leri · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2011, 05:37:26 pm »

Is that right about bracken being carcinogenic? To pigs? Have seen stuff on tv about putting pigs out to get rid of bracken and we intended doing it once we have strengthened the fences in the field that needs clearing. :-/

tizaala · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2011, 05:49:43 pm »

The only thing I know for sure about bracken is this, If you want to be really nasty to someone make them some bracken tea, this gives them approx, 5 seconds to get their shreadies off and sat on the toilet before a total and violent bowel evacuation takes place, if there is no toilet available then give them some bicycle clips......

Leri · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2011, 05:55:19 pm »

Ewwwww! $:-\$ Lol

tizaala · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2011, 09:23:39 am »

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ptq/ptq.htm

Just Googled bracken and came up with this frightener...

Dougal · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2011, 11:26:47 am »

Once it is dried it'll be pretty unpalateable for the pigs so they are unlikey to go anywhere near the stuff to eat it but it'll make a really good dry bedding material. Just the right amount of stalk for structure to leaf for sponging up the liquid. I'd be using it, especially when straw is so dear to try and buy.

Bionic · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2011, 11:46:18 am »

Gosh, never realised it was so nasty.

I am assuming that if you turn the pigs out into some woodland they are likely to have access to bracken. Does anyone know if they will eat it as a matter of course or stear clear?

Sally

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** August 31, 2011, 07:50:57 pm »

I think Wikipaedia is a usually good source

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracken

It does talk about increased risk of stomach cancer when bracken has been ingested either directly or indirectly (eg of the latter being drinking the milk of a cow that has been eating bracken) and also the poisoning effect :

"In cattle, bracken poisoning can occur in both an acute and chronic form, acute poisoning being the most common. In pigs and horses bracken poisoning induces vitamin B deficiency. Poisoning usually occurs when there is a shortage of available grasses such as in drought or snowfalls."

Those of you more experienced with pigs than me please comment on the likelihood of pigs eating dried bracken bedding. Meg certainly chews up and eats her straw.

Leri · « **Reply #9 on:** August 31, 2011, 07:52:21 pm »

It's rooting for the roots we want them to do though - not eat it, dig it out turn it over and get rid - and not while it has spores on it. x

Mel · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2011, 07:31:40 am »

Quote from: tizaala on August 31, 2011, 09:23:39 am

http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ptq/ptq.htm

Just Googled bracken and came up with this frightener...

OMG!!! We have loads of it in the top of our paddock-where we sit around the pond!

Miss Piggy · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2011, 08:18:43 am »

Hi, we have a very large field which when we aquired it was up to your neck in bracken. We are successfully using pigs to reclaim the land. It is the young brcken fronds that are poisonous to cattle etc if they eat it. The pigs do not eat the tops of the bracken they root it up nibble at thelonger roots and then just leave a big central core or knub of root that my OH picks up in a bucket at feeding time. To help the process along my OH does with a scythe chop the top of the bracken off, collects it in a pile and burns it every now and then when it has dried. He just does a little every feeding time. The pigs have now cleared about an acre with no new regrowth on the cleared land. We have used a couple of our cattle to successful trample down some of the bracken also prior to the pigs going in. They go into the field for a short while at a time. If the cows are well fed and not hungry they do not touch the bracken and we would not put them in there when the young fronds are coming through. it is only very hungry animals that will eat bracken apparently. Using the cattle to trample the bracken was suggested to us by an organic farming consultant at the Royal Welsh Show. Just an extra note. My husband is an oncologist ( cancer specialist ) and has researched bracken extensively and if he felt there was any risk to us or the pigs we would not manage the land in this way. Herbicides to kill the bracken would be more dangerous to our health or subsequent use of the land. The field is on a steep slope running down to a beautiful stream that flows onto the beach 500 yards down stream. So herbicides a definite nono anyway.

Berkshire Boy · « **Reply #12 on:** September 01, 2011, 10:02:49 am »

I read an article recently about putting pigs on bracken and it works fine. They used them to clear the land that had been over run by it and had no adverse effects on the pigs. If I remember rightly if they only eat bracken it causes a deficiency in vit E so you have to keep feeding them with their normal rations so this doesn't happen. I will see if I can find the article and put a link on.

Miss Piggy · « **Reply #13 on:** September 01, 2011, 05:36:39 pm »

Our Pigs dont touch the bracken tops, just up root it and leave the rhisome on the top of the soil to pick up. We only cut the tops of some of the bracken becase it speeds the pigs clearing of the land. They root it up alot quicker with no top on and of course we have to cut a passage through anyway for the electric fencing as the outer perimeter of the field is not totally secure and we found it better to work the pigs on a small section at a time. When they have completly cleared thAt section and rooted up all the rhisomes we then move them onto a new section.