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Joyce Coomer: Cows need shade 'Cattle need shade in the summer so they won't get overheated. I pity the poor cows that I see standing as close as they can to any tree they can find, no matter the size. It shows a farmer's total lack of concern for the welfare of his cattle when a dozen cows are trying to crowd under a 15' or shorter tree in the fence along the parkway.' - JOYCE COOMER By Joyce Coomer I agree with Billy Joe Fudge that cattle can be extremely destructive to a woodland. I've often said that if you bought a tract of woods and wanted it cleaned up, but didn't want to incur the expense of hiring dozing done or didn't want larger trees damaged or cut, just fence it in, put in about twice the number of cattle per acre that is recommended for good pastureland, and in about a week -two at the most, nearly everything smaller than 6" in diameter would be eaten or trampled, then you could see how many large trees are left and plan your building and landscaping needs at that point. However, cattle need shade in the summer so they won't get overheated. I pity the poor cows that I see standing as close as they can to any tree they can find, no matter the size. It shows a farmer's total lack of concern for the welfare of his cattle when a dozen cows are trying to crowd under a 15' or shorter tree in the fence along the parkway. When I was a child, nearly every farm I knew of had at least three or four acres -- that's ACRES, people -- left in woodland to provide shade for the cows in the summer. We had a 20-acre pasture, and in the upper part, there were three or four apple trees widely spaced, and about two acres of woods in the very top corner. In the larger, bottoms area of the pasture, there was about two to two and a half acres of trees running about halfway down the fenceline. Whether the cows were lying under the apple trees, or under the trees on the hillside or the bottoms, depended on the weather any particular day. Balmy days with good breezes found the cows under the apple trees, enjoying the breeze coming down the hill. Hotter days, they were in the trees in the upper part of the pasture where the shade was denser. While they went into the wooded area in the bottoms, it apparently didn't provide the coolness they liked in the summer so they didn't stay there very often. If you have plenty of woodland where cattle can find shade, they won't stand in streams or ponds very long, basically just long enough to quench their thirst. This helps prevent banks along streams and around ponds from getting eroded by the cattle walking up and down to get water as they'll have just one or two paths to water instead of a widely trampled area, and it also keeps pollution (albeit natural) out of the waterways. I also think that instead of the current ban (or at least that's what I keep hearing) of livestock in waterways, instead the EPA should make it mandatory that a minimum of 50 feet on either side of any size -- repeat ANY size -- waterway should be left to grow up into whatever plants nature provides there. This would shade the waterways, allowing the life in the water relief from summer's heat, and shade near the waterways for livestock, as well as the roots of trees and other plants helping keep the banks in place. The world needs to return to a more logical mind-set . . . -Joyce M. Coomer This story was posted on 2014-02-07 09:37:09
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Have comments or corrections for this story? Use our contact form and let us know. More articles from topic Commentary:
Wayne Armitage: Against trees for line fence posts Reader writes of start up plant in Russell Springs Lois Cunningham sends advice for Rep. Ed Whitfield Derek Cape, parents are great ambassadors, role models Jarrett Miller: We have to do better as a community Open minds? To date, no new method beyond pushing the snow A response to Jarrett Miller criticism of local people Supports Westlake Regional Hospital Resident of KY 900 for 25 years praises KY Highway Dept. Road crews do an awesome job View even more articles in topic Commentary |
 
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