Forage/Fodder from trees

[CJ Sloane]

Just got back from the NH Graziers conference.

There was a brief mention of Honey Locust and how it was comparable to other forages or grain. Are there any good books/websites that get into what trees are appropriate for various livestock (in NE)?

I'm looking for a follow up to Tree Crops.

Also, has any research been done on how these types of tree-based forage effect cows/sheep? If corn is bad for them because it changes the stomach's pH what would honey locust do? Or apples? Or Chestnuts? And so on?

[CJ Sloane]

Darren,

I  planted most of the trees you're considering this spring. I planted mulberry, persimmon, and apples a few feet outside the pasture with the thought that at least half of the fruit will fall in the pasture for forage. Also some Autumn Olive and Siberian Pea shrub. I'll also plant willow along the fence line for forage.

Black locust and honey locust were planted 1 foot apart to hopefully form a living, edible fence. Same for hazelnut but further apart.

Darren Bender-Beauregard said:

I've been considering including: mulberry, hickory, pecan, white oaks, HL, black locust, persimmon, eastern hazelnut, seedling apples and pears.  Mostly chosen for nutritious fodder for potential pigs or sheep in the future, but the light shade is primarily what I am after for the cattle.  

[CJ Sloane]

Opps. It was Honey locust I directed sowed.

CJ Sloane said:

I did direct sow and transplanted sprouted seeds this spring. I got a 90% germination rate sprouting inside but had very mixed success transplanting them. They were 4-8" tall when I transplanted. Some of the transplanting failures seemed do to location - either a bad spot or high animal traffic spot and they got stepped on. Overall, the direct sow was more successful.

[Thomas Wilson]

Darren Bender-Beauregard said:

Thomas, I'd not waste your time with that--they are very distant members of the same plant family (partly why HL doesn't fix much N and BLocust does), and from what I know about grafting trees, you need to use similar or same-species to get a compatible graft.  

....

All this said however, many stranger things that were not supposed to work have been done, so the left-brained part of me says "Go for it!" 

Darren,

It might make for an interesting and fun experiment.  Or a giant waste of time.  I have a nice grove of Black Locust, about 20-30 years old.  I cut some the last two winters, haven't seen any epicormic shoots as of yet.  Or suckering.  

I just have 4 seedling HL at present, so it will be a while before I can give grafting  a shot.