Things that eat grass

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Things that eat grass
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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 15 10:55 pm Post subject: Things that eat grass
I am vaguely thinking of getting something to keep the grass down. As I understand it, my options are (in more-or-less order of size) Horses Cows Alpacas/llamas Sheep Geese Ducks Rabbits Guinea pigs Have I missed anything significant? Other than scale, is there anything to recommend any particular species?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 15 11:01 pm Post subject:
Tapir?

crofter

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 2252

Posted: Fri Jul 03, 15 11:05 pm Post subject:
If you have a lot of grass, you could consider a camel, or if it is only a small amount maybe a tortoise? I would suggest something which you might eventually want to eat.

Falstaff

Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 1014

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 12:00 am Post subject:
Anything you've missed ? - Venison Easier in some ways to convert into meat, harder in others.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 1:49 am Post subject:

tahir wrote:

Tapir?

Can you make grass saag?!

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 6:58 am Post subject:
Chickens & turkeys probably graze more than ducks. Although they both like to scratch & dust bath.

chickenlady

Joined: 18 Aug 2013
Posts: 413
Location: Dorset

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 9:17 am Post subject:
Bloke with a lawnmower

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 10:31 am Post subject:
Unless you want to keep stock, then I would rent the patch out to some-one else and charge in meat!

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 12:37 pm Post subject:
For pets get guinea pigs.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9886
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 12:54 pm Post subject:
what sort of size plot?

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 1:57 pm Post subject:
Geese would discourage scroats, too.

Mutton

Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 1508

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 2:20 pm Post subject:

If you do let out, make sure you have a well written lease which includes clauses on management so your field is not trashed by over grazing or heavy stock on it in wet weather turning it into mud (known as poaching).

Also horses tend to be selective in what they eat - they don't eat docks - and if your grazing is exclusively horses in time the field will be overtaken by all the things they don't fancy.

You will also need to look at the standard of your fencing as to what you are trying to keep in.

Is it a field with road access and reasonable smooth? As in no rocks? Because letting it out to a farmer to crop as hay might be the simplest.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 5:34 pm Post subject:
Guinea fowl. And they roost in the trees and just get on with it. Pheasant feeder with mixed corn in it just to keep them in the area.

Mutton

Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 1508

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 5:40 pm Post subject:
Never kept guinea fowl but neighbour did for a little while - made a noise like a squeaky wheelbarrow being pushed around the field.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 15 6:16 pm Post subject:

Mutton wrote:

Never kept guinea fowl but neighbour did for a little while - made a noise like a squeaky wheelbarrow being pushed around the field.

& then the fox ate them. Or at least that's what happened to my neighbours gleenies.

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