[Fleecewife]

From an article by Lindsay Whistance, Organic research centre.

Lots of us on TAS now feed our livestock trees, branches and tree fodder.  This is the first article I've seen about it and I find this practice is included in 'agroforestry'.


Traditional fodder trees are: ash, elm and holly
Readily browsed: willow, poplar, rowan, hazel, oak, hawthorn
Less palatable but edible: birch, beech, alder
Poisonous: yew, box


Condensed Tannins (CTs) occur in many leaves (eg oak and willow). Initially they inhibit protein uptake in the rumen, but are then broken down in the abomasum to deliver a high quality protein to the small intestine.
CTs are also an effective gastrointestinal ie gut parasite control, to which worms cannot develop any resistance.


Because tree roots go much deeper than grass roots, they bring a wide variety of minerals into their leaves and bark.

[Backinwellies]

Thank you this is really useful.
Especially that Beech is less palatable ......  love Beech  and would like to plant a couple of trees in a grazed area .... will be fenced .... but cattle less likey to push through to a less palatable tree.

[Penninehillbilly]

My goats love beech. But reading somewhere else it turns their urine red (I never noticed).
There is a brilliant FB group on tree hay.
Such a shame that just as I was getting more ash trees growing,  ash dieback hit 😢.
There was also a great article about how good they were for sheep, for shelter and, as you say FW, bringing minerals up for them.

[macgro7]

Thank you this is really useful.
Especially that Beech is less palatable ......  love Beech  and would like to plant a couple of trees in a grazed area .... will be fenced .... but cattle less likey to push through to a less palatable tree.

You'd be surprised!
I have seen cows eating walnut leaves of a tree - which are much more bitter and higher in tannins than oak or beech.