The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: ambriel on September 20, 2011, 11:24:11 am

Title: Pigs and Bracken - How Dangerous?
Post by: ambriel on September 20, 2011, 11:24:11 am

I'm been approached with a proposition which would see me putting half a dozen or more Tamworths onto several acres of rough grazing which has quite a lot of bracken on it. They'd probably be there from the end of January until late summer, and then going off to market or the abattoir.

I understand bracken is poisonous to many animals, pigs notwithstanding, but just how much of a problem for them is it?

Googling on the subject reveals conflicting answers: Mature bracken interferes with the pig's ability to take up vitamin B but suggests that young bracken is fine.

Can anyone give me some first hand advice please?

Title: Re: Pigs and Bracken - How Dangerous?
Post by: SallyintNorth on September 20, 2011, 02:15:58 pm

This has been discussed a few times recently.

Have a look at
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=17865.msg168691#msg168691 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=17865.msg168691#msg168691)

and
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=17684.msg167513#msg167513 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=17684.msg167513#msg167513)