For years our property has backed up to a sugar cane field, recently it was sold and is now being used for cattle. With all the rain we have been having the run off from the field has been backing up in my yard and chicken coop. The water drains away pretty quickly once the rain stops but Im worried about the poo water that keeps coming from the field. We haven't been around cattle before so is there anything I should be worrying about or watching my chickens for? Worms, parasites, Ecoli, other unknown nastys??? They have also been scratching around the cow poo and I've been chasing them out of the field. They are pretty persistent about heading right back after I step away... is this a bad thing or am I just getting grossed out because its poo?
Run off from a cow pasture
In the good old days, when cows, pigs, chickens & other animals were on every farm, there was no segregation of animals. Free range chickens then were truly free range.
They were always scratching around for "goodies".
The run off from a pasture will only make your ground more fertile.
If it's a feedlot with no grass, that would be a different deal. The owner would have to keep the manure from running off the feedlot.
Bernie
If you read Salatin's chicken tractor treatis you find that letting the chickens clean up after the cattle is a critical element....however I think manure laden water might run some risk of E. coli...but only if you were eating food irrigated with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISzA1Nepp1I
My chickens share their space with a calves. I have never worried about any contamination as a result. They also explore the pigs' house, horse pasture etc. They like the horse manure best as it more often has bits of grain in it. They are quite good at spreading the manure piles so that they disappear into the grass which I find helpful.
I can tell you that a few head of cattle, mixed with a few horses, a few chickens and such is one thing, but if there is a large number of cattle and run off, that could be a whole different story. I would contact your local dept of agri, tell them about your situation and ask if there is anything to be concerned about. I would also contact the owners of the new pasture land and request they put in a french drain to carry the run off away from your property. They just may see what your up against and take steps to correct the problem. I know in this state they are required to control any run off if animals are raised on the property of the run off. Hay. Good luck, and keep us posted.
I'm with Haystack on this... a few cattle.. i wouldn't see as a problem but put 100 head in there & I'd ask the Ag dept just to be on the safe side. and I've grown up around cattle, ate my share of poo by accident.. they don't bother me or scare me but runoff from a big cattle operation would concern me. You could most likely ask anonymously about it to the Ag Dept therefore not getting anyone in trouble until you see if its a big deal. I'd rather be safe than sick.