# Utilizing acreage pasture/woodland & fencing



## Up-the-Creek (Mar 13, 2010)

Hi everyone! I am new here but I know a few from one of the sister sites sufficentself,....

My question is that we have about 10 or more acres of pasture and probably 10 acres of woodland on one side of our farm that needs fenced back in. Would it be worth my while to mess with fencing in the wooded area if I was planning on purchasing cattle. Would the cattle even utilize the wooded area for forage? If not and I did fence it in, what else could I do with the wooded area? Would it pay to run goats with the cattle? The wooded area was recently logged also. I am looking for the most efficent way to take care of this and I am open to any suggestions. My thought is why fence in an area, spending that kind of money, if it isn't going to be used for anything. Would it be better to not fence it in yet and later finish clear cutting it for pastureland as we plan to do with the other side of the farm?? Now I sound like I asking someone to tell me what to do   . Really, I would just like to hear any suggestions that someone with more experience at this may have. I am by no means a farmer of any sorts, but we have 40 acres going to waste and growing up into a huge brushpile, and I want to do something with it. So any ideas would be helpful,..so thanks in advance.


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## rty007 (Mar 14, 2010)

I am not a farmer and do not even posses any land of my own yet, I can however tell you this. You could fence it with a electric wire and have a swell forage for pigs, it would be the closest habitat to natural you could get, it would be a good idea to throw seeds all over the 10 acres to have some veggies that they can eat. but they should be just fine with what they can find already there. my uncle have a couple of pigs raised like that with a small hutch/shed in every paddock, to  winter them(it is required by EU). He has however a barn closer to his house for winters such as this one, when it is COLD. Considering his density... you could easily house about 1 boar, 4 pigs(does?) and their litters which would make for about 30-40pigglets just to fat'em up during warm months and then.. a lot, lot... LOT of bacon and pork chops you could probably sell a good bunch of t too.


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## dkluzier (Mar 14, 2010)

Goats enjoy climbing downed trees and cleaning up the extra bushes and tree tops.  I don't have experience with the cattle so I don't know if they would be good companions.  The pigs would totally root the whole pasture up and leave nothing for your cows to graze, goats like taller grass, weeds, bushes, bark, branches and leaves, they are ruminants like deer.


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## ksalvagno (Mar 14, 2010)

I think my suggestion would be to fence in the pasture only right now. I would also suggest to just get one type of animal, either cows or goats. I can tell you from experience that getting more than one new type of animal can end up being overwhelming. There is a lot to learn for any animal and my brain went on overload.

When fencing in that pasture (since it is 10 acres), I would concentrate on dividing that pasture so you can do rotational grazing. That would probably be better money spent than fencing in the woods right now. Take your time to put up the fencing and talk to other farmers or your local extension agent. Also if you have a local veterinary large animal teaching hospital, they can give you good suggestions on rotational grazing and fencing.


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## Up-the-Creek (Mar 14, 2010)

Thank you all for your suggestions. Ksalvagno your ideas is more what I was thinking. Fencing in the pasture area only and splitting for rotational grazing would be the best way I believe. I believe it would be a more workable scenario. The wooded acreage at this point is still open for debate. I hate having property and it is just sitting there,...growing brush  . Again thank you all for the ideas and if anyone else has any thoughts I would be glad to hear them.


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## Beekissed (Mar 14, 2010)

Hey, UTC!    I would suggest that you see if they have Salad Bar Beef by Joel Salatin at your library before you make a decision about your woodland vs. pasture.  

In this book he describes how important it is to leave large areas of woodlands on your farm and next to your pastures, without letting the farm animals upset the delicate ecosystem of the forest floor. 

He has a great chapter on how to manage your woodlot to produce a better forest growth and to prevent soil erosion.  I'm amazed at how well thought out his ideas are about what species to select for harvest in the woodlot, what species to leave.  Smart guy!   

It may be that you will find your woodland of better value than pasture once you read this book.  I agree with K about using rotational grazing to get more bang for your buck on your 10 acres but I would leave your woodland intact if it were me.


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## Up-the-Creek (Mar 14, 2010)

Hey Bee!  (that cow is soooo cute!) Fancy seeing you here! Yes you are definetly right, I need to take a look at his books, that one especially. I guess I will have to go get me a library card so I can,...I am running out of room for books and running out of $ buying them!  He has sooo many good ideas on management.


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## twentynine (Mar 15, 2010)

just joined myself a few weeks ago, so welcome.

Fencing?

What type of fencing? 

For the pasture/ open land most definitely fence and cross fence it for rotational grazing.

Wooded area. What you are describing to me is cut over forest. That stuff can be a night mare. Mature forest, then cut, sunlight finally gets to the soil, and everything in the world, briars, bushes, tangles, all mixed in with tree tops and stumps. In a year no man can walk across it with out breaking a leg. 

Depending on the type of fence you are planning to use I would either fence it in and fence the cattle out of it. Or--- Fence it in and use it for grazing goats. In some areas of this country you can make a lot more money off of goats than you can off of cattle.

Here, in S. La. I have all my property fenced with 5 strand barbed wire. Works for cattle and horses, but I think a goat would go right through it. Barbed wire is not that expensive. If you were fencing for goats I think you would have to use some sort of net wire, that stuff is more expensive than barbed wire.

Not going to argue about using or not using the woodland. But, it has been logged, so it is not like you are trying to use true forest. It's a cut over, without a doubt, in the form of a cut over it will support more wildlife. However, it is no longer undisturbed, so if you want to use it for goats, I don't see anything wrong. It is your property to use as you see fit.

Whether or not you use the cut over, I would still put some sort of fence around it. I am a strong-- very strong believer that good fences make good nieghbors.


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