Livestock Benefit from Shelterbelts

Trees can be utilized in a number of ways to provide protection for livestock. Shelterbelts at the edge of pastures, near feedlots, and near dairy, hog and poultry facilities protect herds from the stressful effects of winter winds and snow.

When planted as shelterbelts, trees can reduce wind velocity, greatly diminishing the effect of cold temperatures on livestock. This can significantly lower stress on animals and, consequently, reduce feed energy requirements. The benefits to livestock producers and ranchers include better animal health, lower feed costs, and greater financial gain. During the summer months, trees can reduce livestock stress by providing cool shade and protection from hot winds. The benefits to the landowner will last throughout the life of the shelterbelt.

Planting shelterbelts for livestock produces the following benefits:

• Air - Trees help reduce offensive odours and airborne dust from concentrated livestock areas. Trees sequester, or capture, atmospheric carbon, thereby reducing greenhouse gas levels.
• People - Trees can provide income diversification opportunities, such as fruit and maple syrup production. Trees also create an aesthetically pleasing landscape for recreation.
• Plants - Trees in an agricultural setting provide greater plant diversity, creating a healthier ecosystem.
• Soil and Water - Tree foliage breaks the fall of heavy rain, helping to prevent erosion and allowing water to infiltrate the ground. Trees help filter pollutants from runoff and groundwater and they hold soil in place.
• Wildlife - Trees provide diversity of habitat and cover for many species of wildlife. Fish and other aquatic animals benefit from the role of trees in reducing erosion and filtering pollutants and agricultural runoff.

Summer Protection

A properly designed shelterbelt will provide shade and allow summer winds to circulate in the pasture or feedlot area reducing stress to animals. The north and west sides of a shelterbelt should provide the most protection when prevailing winds are from that direction. Leaving the south and east sides relatively open will encourage air flow and cut down on heat stress.

Livestock prefer shade in the summer. Grazing in forested areas will lead to the eventual decline of the tree stand. Livestock trample tree roots and kill young seedlings, creating soil compaction and a decrease in available moisture for roots. It is important to fence off trees from livestock and grassed areas. A mixture of fast and slow growing trees planted throughout the pasture and fenced off with cattle guards will offer shade and protection.

Hay and pasture yields will increase with the addition of shelterbelts. Water loss by evaporation is decreased with added protection from drying winds. Shelterbelts will also protect plants from physical injury. Young alfalfa plants have a very low tolerance to wind and wind-blown soil. A 20 per cent increase in yields for alfalfa can be expected with the use of shelterbelts. An added benefit is the increase of available moisture with increased snow trapping.

Winter Protection

The amount of feed required to maintain body temperature in livestock is reduced when the animals are protected by shelterbelts. Livestock are less efficient at converting feed into energy (gain) under prolonged exposure to cold. When the air temperature falls below an animal's comfort zone, the animal must expend energy to keep warm. The generation of heat during periods of cold stress does not cause major increases in feed requirements for cattle, but it does reduce the rate of weight gain.

Changes in temperature will produce irregular feeding patterns in livestock and cause them to be more susceptible to diseases and other heath problems. Producers believe that cattle provided with protection spend more time eating and less time huddled up for warmth. Therefore, cattle can gain more weight per unit of feed. Canadian researchers have determined that beef cattle on winter range, in unprotected sites, require 50 per cent more feed for regular activities.

Beef cattle are not the only livestock that benefit from the protection of tree windbreaks. Milk production in dairy cows declines under windy conditions below two degrees Celsius. While cattle and sheep are naturally adapted to cold climates (heavy winter coats), swine are subject to serious temperature stress. Shelterbelts provide significant benefits to producers in the form of reduced feed requirements, increased weight gains, and improved animal health. Also, shelterbelts reduce the amount of energy required to heat confinement buildings.

Optimum snow control allows easy access to animals, buildings, and feed storage facilities during the winter months. A properly designed shelterbelt will collect snow in low-use areas and keep it out of high-use areas. This saves on the amount of labour and expense required for snow removal and livestock feeding.

Other Benefits

A shelterbelt will improve the working environment around feedlots, barns and pastures. Working environments can be screened off from the home and road with shelterbelts. Disorderly areas can be made less noticeable with the use of trees. Trees filter dust from tillage operations or roads, and buffer traffic or machinery noise.

Shelterbelts also provide essential habitat for wildlife. Many species of birds and animals will benefit from the added protection trees provide. By planting a variety of tree and fruit-bearing shrubs, a diversity of wildlife will be attracted to the farm or ranch.