[Backinwellies]

I have to ask if you don't have time to sythe do you really have time for more animals ..... Donkeys, goats and cows all need more regular time and extra feed  than sheep.

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Thomas R,


    I feel I was a bit negative about the cow idea. My experience wasnt a positive one but Landrover roy keeps lots so some people make it work.


   The thistles are clearly a problem and the best thing I have found to manage mine was to spot spray with glyphosate. The more stubbon ones I either cut down repeatedly with the ride on while they are about 12 inches high which eventually exhausts the plants natural resources. The ones that I miss get dug up when they are in flower a bit like ragwort.


If you have a much bigger problem than e I suggest you have a look on the progreen website or give them a call and order a suitable spray.


Back to the cows though, as long as you have budgeted for the cost of feed and infrastructure and know what you are going to do with all that beef when you butcher one then you may thoroughly enjoy them. Not all breeds are as skittish as my "well handled"  Dexters were. My sister buys in pregnant Fleckviehs and Belgian blues and they are much calmer to deal with.[size=78%] [/size]
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[/size]ImNot sure how they would get on with sheep though and it hasnt solved your thistle problem.[size=78%]

[/size]If you wanted something that you can breed and butcher then it would be goats or pigs and again pigs would need a stronger infrastructure than the Hebs.If you want to explore the cow idea further, c[size=78%][/size]ould you borrow some for a summer and see how you get on? That way you are just offering the keeper some grazing in exchange for a few kilos of beef? I don't want to burst your bubble...I just dont want to wast your money.

[farmers wife]

get a lazy dog and start managing the thistles.  It can be done over time.    The thistles are there for a reason - poor land management etc. It seems utter madness to bring in an animal to control these while they poach the grounds in the wet weather. The longer they are there the more seeds will be scattered.  We spent night after night out pulling these - can do it by hand with cardboard pieces wrapped around the plant. A lot can be pulled in a few hours.  Like any weed it is important to react before seeding takes place and agree with cutting them back with topper or scythe.  Concentrate on pulling what you can over time & put some sheep on there in high densities to keep them low.