Beeyard/cattle

[cteddo]

I recently aquired a nice beeyard to overwinter. Owner leases for cattle as well when rain brings green grass. will the cattle bother the bees? If so any suggestions? hot wire? thanks

[WI-beek]

Yes you will need a fence and more than just a hot one. You will need stretch barb wire for beef cattle, and I would put some higly visible poly tape up too with a VERY HOT fencer. You will need to sink Wood corner posts and brace them, and use t-post for the rest unless you like to play craps with bees.

[peacekeeperapiaries]

There are 18 head of cattle in my largest yard, over 100 full hives (double deeps) and almost 40 nucs. No problems with the cattle. It is funny because I have noticed the 4 yearlings will eat the grass right up against the hives and pallets but the adults dont really feed anywhere near the hives. The little one make good "weedeaters" and I dont have to roundup at all in this yard. We did have an issue when we had the hives in our queen breeder yard up against a fence, the cattle like to "squeeze" between them and more than once bumped a box off kilter, but never completely over. We fenced that breeder yard. With room between the pallets for the cattle to move around them we have had no issues. BTW there are six horses in this same pasture also....no problems with them either....except they bother us when we break out the burlap sack of straw for the smokers.

[kwest]

We lease some land with about 50 hives on it and the beek didn't have any fence at all around the hives. i saw no problems at all. They were spaced apart a bit. I personally do fence around my hives on our property. A electric solar fencer should be plenty good with a strand or two of electric wires around the hives. I personally use 16' long by 4' high hog panels with steel fence post's.

[AstroZomBEE]

In florida a large number of my Semi yards are on cattle ranches, the cows mingle right through the pallets, very rarely a hive might get knocked over, no real damage. We have a bigger problems with the wild hogs learning to eat the brood/honey than the cows.

Aaron

[pumpkinpiper]

We have a number of "yards" with cattle around. They've never been a problem, but we do put an electric fence around, but it's mainly for bears. Our setup would be 4.5' steel posts(no need for wood corner posts), 3 strands wire fence(12 ga. I believe) placed at 10",20",36"). We use a "good" solar fencer faced south. If your farmer has an electric fence up already nearby, place your yard near it and just run a wire to his fence to get yours hot, thus avoiding purchasing a solar fencer. Good luck. PP

[Beeslave]

Keep at least 5' space between pallets and the cattle "shouldn't" be a problem. If you use jars or pails to feed the hives the cattle will nudge them off occasionally. If the pasture is over stocked with cattle the chances of trouble are higher.

[mnbeekeeper]

just curious to those of you that say a fence is a must, did you have one bad experience and then you never took a chance on it again or what. im just wondering because we have the bees around many livestock, (horses or cows) in Calif. Mn, and Tx and sure maybe not even once a year there is a knock off the hive or a cover slid over but between opening gates or elctr. fences and all the other everyday things it would be way to much of a pain to fence around every bee yard we have in pasture. i feel sorry for you folks that deal with bears. we actually had a bear attack this spring here in southern MN.

[Ben Franklin]

I have cattle and my hives near by, not in the yard.

One reason I would fence in or out the cattle is that my cattle like to rub everything.

I have a hot hive and one of bovie was too close,,she ran away after getting stung.

[jim lyon]

Most of our locations are in pastures with cattle and I cant think of the last time that I had any problems. My only word of caution is that if you are wintering them in that location there is a greater chance of problems because bees cant defend their hive very well in the cold of winter and cattle with nothing else to do but wait for the next hay bale can get pretty destructive and start rubbing against the hives.

[beekeeper_sd]

The only time we've had problems with cattle is with yearlings. Most cows will be curious when the hives are first placed but, once they get stung a time or two, they learn to leave the hives alone. I guess yearlings are not as smart as older cattle.

[WI-beek]

well I guess i stand corrected. I read that cattle could cause kane with with beehives by rubbing against them and knocking them over. Ive seen beefers plow right through electric fence like it was not there when in the mood. It still be worried about it but hopefully you will be fine.

[bluegrass]

Cow pastures are great, it is always fun to watch the bees suck water out of a fresh cow patty and fly back to the hive with it