Hospital Field

[Shadow]

Does anyone have a field like this that sick animals recover well in - either because of some unknown factor or because it has been deliberately planted up with medicinal plants etc? I am asking because of a conversation I had on facebook with a zoopharmacognosist who mainly works with pet animals but is really interested in the old traditional methods for treating farm animals before the reliance on antibiotics took over. To be fair, this kind of stuff fascinates me too and because I don't come from an old farming family I wonder if I am missing out on so much traditional knowledge of the dark arts of farming

 

[GTB]

The best hospital field is one that's not visible from the road or neighbours land.

 

[Shadow]

The best hospital field is one that's not visible from the road or neighbours land.

Haha yes you raise a valid point! Not really what I was after though....

 

[GTB]

Haha yes you raise a valid point! Not really what I was after though....

No I know, sorry. But in my defence there are far too many busy bodies about these days who know sweet FA about keeping livestock but will take great pleasure from phoning the council or RSPCA about something pretty basic. They don't see that the animal is only there because it's being treated or its recovering after treatment.

 

[General-Lee]

The best hospital field is one that's not visible from the road or neighbours land.

We’ve a walled garden.

 

[hendrebc]

I have a small field behind my sheds were i put things that arent quite right so i csn keep an eye on them. Found out they do better if i just let them out with the others so if i think they can walk well enough thats what i do. I dont know why they do better with the others though.

 

[Downton_shep]

I have a small field behind my sheds were i put things that arent quite right so i csn keep an eye on them. Found out they do better if i just let them out with the others so if i think they can walk well enough thats what i do. I dont know why they do better with the others though.

I agree. Flock animals don’t like being on their own.

 

[Downtrodden Dad]

We have a hospital field. My daughter says it's the field where animals go to die, sad but true but it keeps them out of prying eyes on the off chance that one might recover

 

[Coximus]

I have 0ne welll hidden 2ac. The animals do better in it because it' a former yard area. The soil is all ditch dredging and muck so it has every mineral going in the right amounts.... the grass grows like stink even tho its wild meadow grasses and weeds. Also used to store lime on before spreading so it' basically just "right"

Seems to have 5050 on cases which would die left 8jsh the field or in a shed.

 

[GTB]

A relative of ours had a big block of improved hill and a small place on the edge of a village. He'd take any problems back to the small place by the village for supervision etc. He was reported to trading standards and rspca several times. They never found anything wrong and didn't even bother coming out after a couple of visits.

 

[Henarar]

Does anyone have a field like this that sick animals recover well in - either because of some unknown factor or because it has been deliberately planted up with medicinal plants etc? I am asking because of a conversation I had on facebook with a zoopharmacognosist who mainly works with pet animals but is really interested in the old traditional methods for treating farm animals before the reliance on antibiotics took over. To be fair, this kind of stuff fascinates me too and because I don't come from an old farming family I wonder if I am missing out on so much traditional knowledge of the dark arts of farming

seen this on the telly before now, most likely certain herds that they like and will do them good
I think cattle and sheep don't want all grass from new reseeds, some of what we think of as weeds that are found in old pasture are most likely good for them, I think access to hay made from old pasture is good for them in the winter, we always have a bale in the corner they can nibble at rather than nothing but silage
why do sheep like ivy so much ? its very often the first thing they can be tempted to eat when they have been ill

 

[hendrebc]

seen this on the telly before now, most likely certain herds that they like and will do them good
I think cattle and sheep don't want all grass from new reseeds, some of what we think of as weeds that are found in old pasture are most likely good for them, I think access to hay made from old pasture is good for them in the winter, we always have a bale in the corner they can nibble at rather than nothing but silage
why do sheep like ivy so much ? its very often the first thing they can be tempted to eat when they have been ill

I bet a lot of "weeds" only came to be weeds when seed salesmen told us they were. Now they sell them back to us as "herbal" leys and even tell us they are good for stock health
@Kiwi Pete

 

[Woolgatherer]

My horse had a phase of galloping down the field and eating ash leaves when I first let him out in the mornings. He did this for about a fortnight then stopped. I looked it up to see if there were any benefits to eating them but the book just said they had gynaecological uses. He's male! But there must have been some reason for it if only in his mind.

 

[hendrebc]

I had a job to move a small bunch of rams down the road once. They came from a field with a decent amount of hedgerow around it but they were diving into the roadside after something in the overgrown verges. It wasnt ivy just normal hedge bottom stuff. Once they had their fill they went on their way no prblems at all. We have all probably seen stock eating ivy at some point. Or thistle tops or nettles even. Not that i would have any of those

 

[pastit]

The best hospital field is one that's not visible from the road or neighbours land.

Yes had a downer cow a few years ago, tried our best to get her right. h ad decided on Sunday morning that if no better by Monday would have put down. Sunday afternoon RSPCA and Trading standards turned up at the door, somebody walking past had seen her . They were both all right about it when I explained what was happening It was decided to put her down there and then. So I have to agree better where no one can see.

 

[topground]

Known as Dr Green. Fresh pasture to stimulate the appetite. Get better or die!

 

[Alicecow]

Cows like ivy too.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

It's a very good plan to have a bit of a hospital paddock of some description, at least for quarantine.

I just let animals into my yard and shut the gate into the road, plenty of places for them to keep warm and find a drink, and lots of weeds to help them recover.
A lot of things likely got forgotten along the course of the past century but @Henarar makes a good point I think.

Animals know what they want and it's often not some superyielding tetraploid -
Quite often it's a bit of fennel or yarrow or sow thistle, or something out of a hedge.

Trouble is, getting people to see the cost of trying to "improve" everything instead of just "observe"..... amazing what stock do when they have options.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I agree. Flock animals don’t like being on their own.

I am a bit of a weirdo but the stock always seem happier in isolation if they have familiar stuff around.
Things like a radio burbling away, being able to see the tractor that fed them in winter, some hippy bald man coming out to pat them and feed them vegetables and talk to them....
A mate of some description seems to help with recovery, and their peace of mind.

"Farm vibe" - has anyone else noticed the "happy farm phenomenon" or am I mental?

 

[Coximus]

I am a bit of a weirdo but the stock always seem happier in isolation if they have familiar stuff around.
Things like a radio burbling away, being able to see the tractor that fed them in winter, some hippy bald man coming out to pat them and feed them vegetables and talk to them....
A mate of some description seems to help with recovery, and their peace of mind.

"Farm vibe" - has anyone else noticed the "happy farm phenomenon" or am I mental?

Yep - farm vibe - the animals seem to be distressed if I move the trailler out of the field - because thats where the bales live until they get fed out.......
They get very distressed if I tturn up in a different vehicle, and the sick ones do better in the paddock if some old matriarch are in with them.