[Weeblehg]

We've just moved some of our castlemilk moorits onto a new bit of pasture. One side is a yew hedge. I have to confess I'm a bit of a believer that unless pushed livestock won't eat stuff that's bad for them. So I'm not feeling too worried. Should I be?

[Fleecewife]

I believe the reason yew was confined to churchyards in days of yore (needed for making bows) was to prevent livestock eating it, and dying from it. They wouldn't have done that if animals wouldn't touch it, surely 
 I would be $@@@@ing myself and fence it off.

[ellied]

Having lost a pony a few years back that started eating a leylandii just because it fell into the field and therefore a novelty, not through any shortage of grass/hay at the time, I would say hunger isn't the only reason for animals to try a tempting new mouthful or two.  And one mouthful of yew can kill a horse/cow let alone a sheep..

[Weeblehg]

Hmm, problem is lots of historical anecdotal stuff is generally not informed by evidence. Nothing on the internet I can find to suggest a major problem. Maybe it's like ragwort, fine until you either push the animaLes hard or unless it's cut and drying on the ground.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Yes it is highly toxic and no I wouldn't let any of my animals near it. Read this! You have to read it all!http://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/yew.html

[Weeblehg]

I'm not disputing it's toxic. Just that the sheep are unlikely to eat it. Repliy appreciated from anyone with direct experience of problems ( or not) when grazing animals next to a yew hedge.

[harmony]

The risk is yours but ( and I apologise because I have said this somewhere else on here) I know that some mushrooms are fine and some are not to eat. I don't know which are which and I am meant to be more intelligent than a sheep. If animals knew what wasn't good for them they would get poisoned but they do!  And not always when there is nothing else good to eat!

[Penninehillbilly]

How would you feel if you went over and found half your sheep dead? is it worth the risk?
not getting at you but if you care about your sheep please don't risk it, can't you run some electric fence in front of it?

[Weeblehg]

How many horses do you see in fields of ragwort? How many sheep graze hillsides covered in bracken? How many cattle graze in fields with oak trees overhanging them? I manage a nature reserve with hemlock water drop wort and cattle grazing for the last 20 years....None have keeled over yet! It's not a matter of caring or not, but a matter of evidence over Anecdote and old wives tales.

[Buttermilk]

You asked and people have answered.  I am in the better safe than sorry camp.  People have been feeding and mollycoddling livestock for many generations so the instinct to only eat what mum eats has been lost from a lot of them.

[Weeblehg]

I think I'll gauge a few more views and look for a bit more evidence before making up my mind thanks  [member=75709]Buttermilk[/member]

[Weeblehg]

Interesting view from Hampshire who seem to be implying they will use sheep but not cattle
http://www.hants.gov.uk/rh/dogs/stock-grazing.pdf

[SallyintNorth]

There are yew trees bordering - and overhanging - one of the fields we rent. 

Judging by the level of the foliage, I'd say the sheep probably do nibble it, although I've never seen them do it.

As far as I know, we've never had a sheep poisoned.  But if it was my Castlemilks, in a field that was new to them - I don't think I'd risk it.

[shep53]

We have many yew trees on the tracks up to the fields and over the years I have trimmed any lower branches as every time the sheep walk past to the pens or sheds they have to have a nibble , not had a problem with poisoning but I try to keep them moving

[Fleecewife]

Have you considered the welfare aspect of your experiment with the lives of your sheep?  I can't see how what you are doing can be ethical.  If your experiment was duly licensed and carried out according to scientific principles and peer review, then perhaps your actions would be justified.  In a controlled experiment animals would not be left to die in agony, as it would be carried out under the supervision of a vet. There are strict rules on animal experiments, which is what this amounts to.

I can't understand your 'suck it and see' approach.