Preparing a field for livestock

[eeyore]

When you add livestock to a field could have bad results in normal times and devastating results in Badtimes. This is what i'm driving at, when i raised pygmy goats, before i turned them into a field i found out what plants could harm them if they eat them. One was wild cherry, so i went into the fields, before i turned them out and rooted all of the wild cherry in the pasture.

What made me think about it was a couple of articles i read about in the news today.

Mystery of 200 Dead Cows in Wisconsin Solved

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/29/mystery-of-200-dead-cows-in-wisconsin-solved/

Investigators from the University of Wisconsin have determined that the animals were killed by a poison found in spoiled sweet potatoes that were part of the cattle's feed.

and i coupled it with this one that is about Fla.

Fla. Battles Yet Another Invasive Species at Annual Air Potato Rounduphttp://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/31/fl...-air-potato-r/

"Potatoes" and "devastating infestation" might not sound like they go hand in hand. But in Florida, they can be so dangerous that a thousand people take to the forest to root through thorn-infested vines and bramble just to grab what tubers they can and run them out of town.

I understand it is not exactly the same thing, but during normal times losing even 2 or 3 head of cattle is a major inconvenience but during Badtimes it could lead to starvation for the family. Finding harmful plants to your livestock might save your life. Might also provide you with another food source.
If these potatoes where not rooted out and had rotted, if ingested by your animals, it might kill them the way it did in Wisconsin. Better to be safe then sorry.

[Klayton]

I have heard of people mistakingly letting horses loose on a new farm pasture without checking, only to find them dead within a week due to ingestion of black walnut...

You have to check your pastures people, too easy...

[slingshot]

Another thing to watch out for is if you, or any of your neighbors, raise cane to make molasses. The young (short) cane will kill a cow as dead as a door nail! My FIL raised cane his whole life (for molasses!) and then he got old and didn't keep the fences up around his cane field. Several cows got in there and it killed everyone of them! "If it's not one thing, it's a tuther!" lol

[1Admin]

I've heard normal potato plants are dangerous to goats but I've seen mine munch of the leaves without a problem.

[rice paddy daddy]

As a (former) city boy, it's my wife who knows these things and she takes it very seriously. I'm learning. We have horses, and even something as simple as feeding the wrong kind of grain can have consequenses; or cow grade hay can make horses colic.
And you don't just put a 1200 pound animal in the back seat and take it to the vet.

[Klayton]

And you don't just put a 1200 pound animal in the back seat and take it to the vet.

That is why you buy an overmileage schoolbus from your local district for $2K. rip out the seats, weld in a barrier between driver and back section, slightly modify the back door, and WALLAH, livestock transport!!

[rice paddy daddy]

That is why you buy an overmileage schoolbus from your local district for $2K. rip out the seats, weld in a barrier between driver and back section, slightly modify the back door, and WALLAH, livestock transport!!

We have a four horse trailer, but if a horse is down, we don't have a front end loader!:D
Our farrier lives a couple of miles up the road, and the vet is always a phone call away. That plus the wife has been doing this long enough to nip a lot of stuff in the bud (doesn't everyone keep equine medicine, including some already in syringes, in their refrigerator?).

[Klayton]

@rice paddy daddy: ok now you are making me think... LOL ....

How about installing one of those cherry pickers on the back bumper frame and completely opening up th rear end? You could buy one of those equine life harnesses from the vet and you are all set to "lift" the injured animal up into your "bus" and once inside secure the harnesses so the animal doesn't receive any additional injuries...

OK, you made me think today... :)

Adapt, overcome, improvise!!

[jhon smith]

With your background, you can become a Vet Assistant immediately. Definitely do that. But continue school to get the Vet Tech certification via online learning.