Which UK species eats bracken fern?

[John Gryphon]

Do any at all? I am very interested to read of any responses.
Its quite or can be toxic to cattle yet the sambar eat a lot of it. I do have lots of pics/videos showing them actively munching fern fronds.
Took a few pics of this hind stuffing fronds in this morning.

 

[User00053]

None that I have witnessed in on “good” hill ground in highlands that had bracken beds, x1 place stags fed in winter on spuds, sileage bails dotted about on low ground grasses, hinds would come down at night. Top dressing on grasses, all for deer and deer alone so plenty fud. Another x2 places deer fended for themselves, but would say favourable conditions. To be honest they were not a creature I studied other than is stag shootable by guest, and achieving hind cull and tagging calf’s now and again. Not a deer man first and foremost. May happen but not seen.

 

[John Gryphon]

None that I have witnessed in on “good” hill ground in highlands that had bracken beds, x1 place stags fed in winter on spuds, sileage bails dotted about on low ground grasses, hinds would come down at night. Top dressing on grasses, all for deer and deer alone so plenty fud. Another x2 places deer fended for themselves, but would say favourable conditions. To be honest they were not a creature I studied other than is stag shootable by guest, and achieving hind cull and tagging calf’s now and again. Not a deer man first and foremost. May happen but not seen.

Appreciated.
I did a bit of googling and it seems none do although our sambar relish the schitt.

 

[User00040]

Pretty sure goats, pigs and sheep will happily eat bracken.

 

[Freeforester]

Enclosed pigs have been used to clear areas of it (the roots get eaten, they have been known to bed down on the dry fronds) here and there.

 

[User00053]

Appreciated.
I did a bit of googling and it seems none do although our sambar relish the schitt.

Wonder if it’s same bracken jg, as the beds over here which invade, and are tick havens but useful for driving fox’s from, lot of money spent spraying it over the years for sure, met chopper pilot who sprayed bracken from aus , liked a beer and was stone mad, good at his job

 

[Doric]

Never seen roe eat it though often lay up in it.

 

[John Gryphon]

Pretty sure goats, pigs and sheep will happily eat bracken.

its toxic to them although the pigs crunch the fern roots,extract the juice and spit the rest out.

 

[shotguntom]

An estate I stalk grazes goats to control the bracken.

 

[John Gryphon]

An estate I stalk grazes goats to control the bracken.

I have done a lot of reading on this and all results come up with the same. It seems our deer are ok with it though.

Is bracken fern poisonous to goats?


Unfortunately, they are extremely toxic to all ruminant species. When consumed, this plant will release cardiogenic toxins that result in heart failure and sudden death in cattle, sheep, and goats. ... Excessive consumption of bracken fern can result in gastrointestinal upset, internal bleeding, and death.


Bracken Fern - these ferns are very common in the woods of the Northeast. Very commonly goats and other livestock are put out to graze/forage areas to clear the land of various flora. Though this can be a safe and enjoyable practice for all involved (goats love it), if eaten in access over long periods of time, Bracken fern can have toxic effects. Excessive consumption of bracken fern can result in gastrointestinal upset, internal bleeding, and death. Goats will usually avoid bracken fern if there is other forage available. The best way to prevent bracken fern poisoning is to provide hay and other means of forage for the goats to eat while clearing the area. Also, leaving out free choice baking soda can help prevent gastrointestinal upset as the goats consume a variety of plants. If you are concerned about bracken fern poisoning, contact your veterinarian ASAP

 

[Reloader708]

Not sure anything would willingly eat bracken unless it was hungry, its highly toxic.
Deer will eat ferns and dig down to get the new growth.
I've seen livestock (mainly cattle and pigs) used to great effect in trampling, rooting in bracken beds as an organic method of control.

 

[Reloader708]

Not sure anything would willingly eat bracken unless it was hungry, its highly toxic.
Deer will eat ferns and dig down to get the new growth.
I've seen livestock (mainly cattle and pigs) used to great effect in trampling, rooting in bracken beds as an organic method of control.

Note: fern and bracken being different.

 

[User00035]

Bracken is carcinogenic to humans and livestock. Eating the flesh and breathing the spores has been linked to throat and stomach cancer. People who work regularly in bracken, especially in late summer when the spores are released, are at increased risk of these cancers.
The young fronds cut in spring compost well and make a good soil improver. Otherwise the plant is a pest.
I do like the smell of it though. Reminds me of summer holidays in the Welsh mountains..

 

[John Gryphon]

We have a fire breathing ant here called the Jack Jumper its a right royal **** of a thing too,hangs on with its mandibles and stings with its arse...like a red hot needle dipped in acid.
Old bush remedy is to break a bit of bracken root and rub it on the sting site...some swear by it..........phhhttt!

 

[VSS]

Cattle will eat it at certain times of year, as will sheep to a lesser degree. However, it is toxic and will poison them if they overdo it. Cattle will help eliminate bracken through trampling, as will sheep if they're tightly stocked. I have got rid of bracken by stocking 60 ewes plus their lambs per acre, for 3 days on followed by 18 days off, then back on for three days, etc etc, right through the growing season.
Free range pigs will eliminate bracken by digging up and exposing the rhizomes to air (the rhizomes need anaerobic conditions to thrive).

Incidentally, bracken silage was a "thing" during wartime when livestock feed was in short supply. I believe that the ensilage process somehow reduced the toxicity, but I'm not absolutely sure about that.

 

[John Gryphon]

Incidentally, bracken silage was a "thing" during wartime when livestock feed was in short supply. I believe that the ensilage process somehow reduced the toxicity, but I'm not absolutely sure about that.

That is a new one to me VSS. Imo if it was of any non toxic value that farmers would use it for silage. As reported it is toxic in hay in above ave amounts...ensiling 'could' reduce that with a lot of ?`s

 

[User00053]

That is a new one to me VSS. Imo if it was of any non toxic value that farmers would use it for silage. As reported it is toxic in hay in above ave amounts...ensiling 'could' reduce that with a lot of ?`s

Can add a little more on the bracken use, moons ago bracken was used as bedding in sheds in the Yorkshire dales on small hill farms, So cut, carted , and stored. This was in the days when men were men and sheep nervous I am told.

 

[Dave Lakes]

Cattle will eat it at certain times of year, as will sheep to a lesser degree. However, it is toxic and will poison them if they overdo it. Cattle will help eliminate bracken through trampling, as will sheep if they're tightly stocked. I have got rid of bracken by stocking 60 ewes plus their lambs per acre, for 3 days on followed by 18 days off, then back on for three days, etc etc, right through the growing season.
Free range pigs will eliminate bracken by digging up and exposing the rhizomes to air (the rhizomes need anaerobic conditions to thrive).

Incidentally, bracken silage was a "thing" during wartime when livestock feed was in short supply. I believe that the ensilage process somehow reduced the toxicity, but I'm not absolutely sure about that.

There’s a firm in Cumbria who make good compost with it. I’ve often thought that the big hill landowners should just give over the harvest rights to one of the companies for free, to help reduce it a bit

 

[VSS]

That is a new one to me VSS. Imo if it was of any non toxic value that farmers would use it for silage. As reported it is toxic in hay in above ave amounts...ensiling 'could' reduce that with a lot of ?`s

I was surprised too, but I have several agricultural text books dating from the late 1930s / 1940s that give guidelines for the making and feeding of bracken silage, including nutritional analysis.

Can add a little more on the bracken use, moons ago bracken was used as bedding in sheds in the Yorkshire dales on small hill farms, So cut, carted , and stored. This was in the days when men were men and sheep nervous I am told.

Still is cut and used for livestock bedding in some parts of the UK.

 

[User00053]

I was surprised too, but I have several agricultural text books dating from the late 1930s / 1940s that give guidelines for the making and feeding of bracken silage, including nutritional analysis.

Still is cut and used for livestock bedding in some parts of the UK.

Interesting vss, still has its uses.