Cows in Trees: A Warm and Witty Memoir of a Vet's Life

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Still, the technique is gaining popularity. Chedzoy has been encouraged by the increasing popularity of his courses and trainings and by young farmers following in his footsteps who are committed to regenerating their land with agroforestry. A dairy farmer and Kempsey shire councillor, Sue McGinn, agreed that the floods needed to spark a bigger conversation about the price we are paying for fresh food and dairy products.

It was actually out of necessity, to begin with. When we acquired Howemill it was half covered with woodland, so in our case, using agroforestry made practical sense: the decision was about working with the land we had. Chedzoy first learned about silvopasture while serving in the Peace Corps in Argentina in the early 1990s. Beef is a staple of the diet there, but cattle are also used to provide key fire-prevention services by grazing away potential fuel in forests. Don’t underestimate the magic potential of these edges! These thriving intersections – a favourite for birds, insects and mammals (such as pine martens and foxes) alike – are: Downes has also planted other native trees, including sycamore and hornbeam, where the emphasis is on improving the soil and pasture. “Rye grass is the mainstay of grassland land production in temperate regions (but) it doesn't root deeply so accesses nutrients in the top of the soil,” he explains. We're mindful of our farming methods. Especially how they’ll impact the world. These range from using organic manures to installing bat and bird boxes for wildlife.Hawthorn trees: These are high in zinc in the spring, which is another brilliant mineral for animals and a great food source for birds Cows usually have their first calf when they are just under two years old—with single calves being typical, although twins sometimes occur—and each cow may have ten or more calves over the course of her life. Even though cows can live for 20 years or more, older dairy cows are often culled from commercial herds and used for meat when their milk yield begins to decline. Increasing temperatures - heat stress, sunburn and dehydration in animals, as well as an increased risk of harmful algal blooms in water supplies

Ten thousand kilometres away in Kenya, on the foothills of Mount Elgon, cattle farming takes place on a completely different scale. Here smallholders keep just one or two cows, explains Jonathan Domarle, a senior project manager at Livelihoods Funds, which provides impact investment to support more sustainable food production. The organisation is halfway through a 10-year project to revolutionise dairy farming in the region. This herd, a mixture of breeds, has been introduced to this forest to mimic the work that aurochs – the now extinct native wild cattle that used to roam here – would previously have done. They’ll eat the heather and churn up the ground with their hooves, creating more opportunities for biodiversity in the field layer and giving space for new flushes of blaeberries and crowberries that are such important food sources for capercaillies – those so elusive and threatened birds that I always hope to see.

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Ecology’ is the study of relationships between plants, animals, people and the environment, with a specific focus on how these elements work together. ‘Agroecology’, then, is the application of these ecological concepts to farming, specifically: using nature and natural relationships to boost your farm’s yields, productivity and more. According to a 2017 study from the Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri, silvopasture can also extend the grazing season, so that it starts earlier in spring and lasts longer in fall compared to open pasture. Forage also grows better in silvopastures during the hottest times of the summer compared to open pasture, the study found. We’re able to use a grant from the Welsh Government - the Glastir Small Grants Carbon scheme. It’s a small capital grant which pays for planting the hedges and fencing them off to protect them until they are established. But I know there's lots of support available across the UK. The Woodland Trust are an excellent source of advice and a great starting point before your tree-planting project.

The plots are often no more than couple of hectares, but many are now surrounded by ditches that collect rainwater, their banks carpeted in lush green grasses and sweet potatoes, while trees – some planted for timber, some for fruit – also mark out the boundaries between each plot. This has led to a root system that holds the soil together and prevents erosion. Shelter provided by trees can promote grass growth. Reports show it increases average annual pasture by 20%. This is due to a reduction of wind speed and evapotranspiration of water from grass. In dry springs and summers, this can be crucial in continuing grass growth. It also increases soil temperature in the early spring and late autumn, extending the growing season for grass.

Longleaf pines are naturally dependent on fire, which encourages herb growth and prevents invasive woody plants from taking hold. But since these systems have been fire-suppressed for so long, invasive plants have creeped in. Cattle grazing and open stands encourage native plant growth, but Keyes and Keyes suggest keeping herd size under control, as cows could unintentionally trample seedlings.

Probably around 750 trees and hedgerow plants. This season, we're planning to plants another 500 or so. Many cows aren’t fed properly, he says, especially in the dry season, when there is little more than nutrient-poor maize stalks available. As a result, cattle are often in poor health, while milk production is low. In response to the England Tree Strategy consultation in May 2021, the NFU stated the correct tree species must be chosen and responsibly sourced to match the location while maximising long-term objectives. Simply, the right tree needs to go in the right place. Managing the forest for more than one use is not new to the southeastern United States. In the sixteenth century, Spanish explorers began grazing cattle throughout forests in Florida. Today, private landowners own the bulk of longleaf pine plantations. As the authors write, “Restoration and maintenance of longleaf pine on a landscape scale can be successful only if private landowners are willing participants in the process.” Willow trees: These have loads of health benefits for cattle, in part due to the salicylic acid they contain, which helps give animals healthy skin and hair. Willow trees also contain a natural pain-reliever, which means our cows can self-medicate when needed by chomping on their leavesSilvopasture encourages a thinned forest, which results in both quality trees and healthy growth of plants on the forest floor. There’s a strong connection between climate change and farming agroecologically, too. We allow our cattle to live the most natural lives possible - gaining their food and shelter from the trees and plants we have positioned around our land - as not only do we think that this helps them thrive, it also cuts down on our carbon footprint. Forest management often centers on growing profitable trees fast, while silvopasture takes an ecosystem-wide approach, with the goal of encouraging tree and native plant growth. Normally, a dense forest will produce a profitable timber harvest. But silvopasture encourages a thinned forest, which results in both quality trees and healthy growth of plants on the forest floor. The forage on the forest floor, in turn, supports the cattle. More open forest stands give cows room to roam and allows more sunlight and space for trees to grow faster. As a beautiful bonus, trees act as wildlife corridors (nature pathways), habitats for nesting birds, and when in flower, excellent for pollinating insects. They're brilliant!