Tree fodder (a livestock feed derived from trees and shrubs) was historically an important component of animal husbandry in traditional farming systems. It was largely made available to animals as supplementary feed in the form of fresh browse, or harvested and fed fresh or dried (as tree hay) during the winter. With a growing need to focus on sustainable and resilient farming systems, there is increasing interest in this practice which has real potential to make a meaningful impact on animal health and welfare and farm businesses.
This Hub has been designed to complement Agricology’s Tree Fodder Technical Guide, which brings together research and anecdotal evidence of what farmers might need to know when considering the use of tree fodder within their livestock system.
It brings together a wide range of resources on tree fodder, including videos, design tools, blogs, research papers and farmer case studies. Drawing on the Agricology archive and wider practitioner knowledge, it offers opportunities to learn from other farmers, explore different approaches, and pick up practical guidance.
Get munching! Explore the resources, deepen your understanding, and enjoy.
Jump to content
Introducing tree fodder
Placing some browsable trees in the animal’s landscape is particularly important in extensive and low-input systems for animals’ health and welfare. The trees bring shade and shelter and the opportunity for animals to self-select tree fodder as a supplementary feed. If there is a variety of species available, they are better able to self-select – based on taste, nutritional and medicinal needs, and preferences. When browse/tree fodder is introduced, animals will take time to familiarise themselves before optimising intake.
Start your tree-fodder learning journey with these resources
Browsing preferences and behaviours
Domesticated farm animals will readily browse on trees and shrubs where they are given access. When moved to fresh grazing, they will typically seek out browsing opportunities before grazing, and where availability is restricted, they will work hard to get at it. Not all trees are equally attractive as browse to an animal. Familiarity, palatability, hunger and health status all play a role in an individual animal’s food choices. Browsing of any species is also determined by other factors such as mechanical (i.e. thorns), chemical (anti-nutritional factors), plant properties, species abundance, and seasonal, site and climatic influences.
Check out these real-life experiences and observations from farmers
Bill & Cath Grayson
Morecambe Bay Conservation Grazing Company
The Graysons graze animals on wood pasture sites across north Lancashire / south Cumbria to help regenerate the land and restore natural processes. Within this profile, they describe how grazing is managed to benefit the conservation needs of sites, achieving the required levels of impact from grazing, browsing, trampling and dunging behaviours. They talk about a closed herd system being better adapted to challenging environments, observational browsing preferences and behaviours, providing tree hay in colder months, and conservation benefits the cattle help deliver. The profile links to a podcast which focuses on the benefits, challenges and practicalities of basing much of their farming system around wood pasture habitats.
Paul & Nic Renison
The Renisons farm suckler beef cows, pigs,and chickens on the edge of the Pennines, looking over the Eden Valley towards the Lake District. This profile (originally created as part of the AHDB Grass project), includes reference to how trees and hedges contribute a lot to the farm in terms of shelter, providing browse for livestock, and increasing overall biodiversity.
James Robinson
This profile illustrates how organic dairy farmer James Robinson uses trees on his land in Cumbria to boost climate resilience, enhance animal health, and increase the longevity of the farm. It includes interesting insights into browsing behaviour relating to different tree species, observations relating to building disease resilience, breeding cattle that are good converters of fodder, and hedgerow management.
The Barbour Family
Based in Highland Perthshire, the Barbour Family farm sheep and cattle over two sites where they have established woodland through creating shelter belts and small-block woodland grazing areas, employing a regenerative planting and maintenance model. Of particular interest are observations on the way in which cattle and sheep use the woodlands, which includes browsing various species…
Tree species (traditional fodder trees)
Most native and naturalised tree species are edible to stock to some degree. In UK, wych elm, ash and holly were traditional key fodder trees, with holly grown as winter browse for cattle and sheep. Ash, elm and lime have historically been preferred fodder trees in many European countries. For dairy cows, white mulberry and ash were considered superior fodder trees as a source of nutrients, followed by large-leaved lime, alder and Italian alder. The least palatable fodder species have traditionally been fed in early winter, with the most palatable saved for building up animals before the following spring turn-out. Willows are high in salicylic acid and fed preferentially to sick or breeding animals at lambing or calving time where anti-inflammatory properties can support pain relief. Research indicates that mineral content and nutrient levels can vary between different plant parts and are affected by time of year and other factors such as levels of water present.
Dive in to research, guidance and advice on different species
Harvesting, preparing and feeding
Branches can be cut and dropped where animals can browse directly on fresh fodder. This can also be used where trees are being thinned or managed for other purposes, where browsing animals can strip branches ready for further processing. Cut and carry fresh is typically used in systems where smaller numbers of animals are kept with no direct access to tree crops and could be a useful method on modern farms for smaller groups of animals i.e breeding bulls or sick animals, which are housed or kept close to the farm. Edible trees can be successfully dried to make tree hay which is highly palatable for stock. Various methods include making faggots, creating covered stacks outdoors, or loose-lying branches placed on flatbed trailers. Good airflow and cover from sunlight are important to prevent mould and brittle leaves. For mixed systems, bigger stems can allow for some bark stripping which may offer further nutrition.
Learn the secrets behind tree hay success
Tree Hay – Using Trees as Livestock Fodder
Here is a recording of a Soil Association Scotland webinar exploring how tree hay can be a valuable way to supplement winter forage and support livestock nutrition and welfare. Informative and practical, it features Lynn Cassells of Lynbreck Croft (Tree Fodder Technical Guide case study farmer), James Reid of Tap o’ Noth Farm, and the Organic Research Centre’s Dr Lindsay Whistance (Tree Fodder Technical Guide principal author) discussing palatability, growth, and nutritional and medicinal benefits of different tree species, and harvesting, preparing and feeding tree hay.
Tree Hay: A forgotten fodder
This is a blog by Ted Green MBE – Founder President of the Ancient Tree Forum, Conservation Consultant to the Crown Estate Windsor, and a big source of inspiration to Tree Fodder Technical Guide case study farmer Lynn Cassells. Published some time ago, it includes a 10-minute video and is a nice introduction to the man himself, the history of tree hay and its role as fodder, and the practicalities surrounding growing and managing tree hay species.
Lynn Cassells and Sandra Baer
Highland crofters Lynn and Sandra are featured as a case study in the Tree Fodder Technical Guide. This profile sets their use of tree hay in context. It gives more background information on planting native trees, promoting natural regeneration, and using livestock as a tool to facilitate this. It includes reference to the densely planted copses of primarily alder, willow, and rowan, designed specifically to be pollarded and harvested as tree hay crops, and their endeavours to overcome practical challenges including efficient harvesting, drying and storage.
Nutritional content
Tree fodder has great potential as a mineral supplement for farmed animals offering a valuable source of minerals at the point of harvest, and a stable source of minerals after storage. A general rule of thumb is that the nutritional content of tree fodder is similar to that of grasses and forbs grown in the same environment. However it should be considered as a useful supplementary feed rather than a replacement for pasture fodder, particularly when containing higher levels of anti-nutritional factors. Context is important when determining what is a poison for animals and whether smaller quantities also have any medicinal benefits. Mineral levels will depend largely on tree species, plant parts harvested, location and the season.
Explore findings from some fascinating on-farm trials
Feeding willow to lambs: Results from Innovative Farmers field lab
Here are a report, webinar recording and video from an Innovative Farmers field lab trial that was conducted by Tom Fairfax at Mindrum Estate. It explored how feeding willow trees to weaned lambs could prevent nutrient deficiencies, improve health, and boost growth. The study hypothesised that incorporating cobalt-rich willow into the lambs’ diet could provide valuable supplementary feed, in addition to offering benefits for shelter, shade, water retention and carbon sequestration.
Coppicing and Wood Pasture – Learnings from the Field with the ReForest Living Lab
Dr Will Simonson blogs about a ReForest-led coppicing workshop that was held at Sleastonhow Farm in Cumbria, and included an opportunity to see and discuss wood pasture, hedgerow and woodland management. It includes reference to the nutritional properties of tree browse and the potential role that tannin-rich browse provides, helping animals moderate the phytotoxins taken in from species-rich pasture.
TreeFEED: Trees for forage – Short term plantings to enhance livestock production, health and resilience?
This web page contains results and discussion from trials of the TreeFEED project carried out in Cornwall by Farm Carbon Toolkit, which explored how planting trees and shrubs as livestock forage can improve farm resilience, animal health and environmental outcomes.
Medicinal properties
Condensed tannins and salicylic compounds are two groups of plant secondary metabolites present in trees that are of particular interest in relation to animal health. There is much to understand still about the structure, potency and ratios of different tannins to help determine appropriate quantities in animal feed. A higher level of condensed tannins may be beneficial to help prevent or treat bloat. Condensed tannins can also help animals to manage intestinal parasite populations (lambs fed willow have been found to have significantly reduced worm burdens). Salicylic acid, sodium salicylate and white willow bark are all currently used to treat livestock and have been investigated for their efficacy in treating various diseases, inflammation and pain control.
Discover insights from putting research into practice
Tree planting design and management
Trees can be managed either by shredding (where the crown height is maintained and side branches are harvested), or pollarding (where the crown is cut at a height which prevents direct browsing or suits machinery required to operate in the same space). Methods of tree management can affect protein levels, with pollarded trees and short-rotation coppiced trees typically yielding higher protein content than standard, tall canopy trees. Re-growth from managed trees can produce a higher leaf-to-stem ratio and lower lignin levels compared to unmanaged trees.
Planning your planting? Here’s what to consider
Alley Planting, Shelterbelts and In-Field Trees
These three illustrated leaflets from the Woodland Trust explore simply and effectively different ways of using trees to support and enhance grass health and livestock mangement. They include reference to tree planting designs indicating browse lines, strategical planting of shelterbelts to offer browse benefits, and tree protection against browsing and livestock rubbing.
Productive Hedges: Guidance on bringing Britain’s hedges back into the farm business
This guide (produced by the Organic Research Centre agroforestry team in 2019) covers the importance of hedgerows and the opportunities of making them integral to the farm business by managing them well, and harvesting for woodfuel or hedge products. Different hedgerow types and management options are discussed, and it includes details on managing hedges according to the products you wish to get from them, including tree fodder (using pollarding and coppicing).
Woodland grazing toolbox
This Scottish Forestry guide to developing a woodland grazing plan is designed for woodland owners, managers and farmers seeking to manage woodland to achieve biodiversity and/or cultural heritage objectives, using grazing livestock as a management tool. It is suggested that you firstly consider whether livestock grazing (which includes browsing for tree fodder) is likely to be right for your woodland. If it is, the toolbox will help you to determine the most suitable grazing regime. The toolbox has 8 sections which correspond to the downloadable Woodland Grazing Plan template.
Agroforestry Hub
The Agricology Agroforestry Hub brings together a wealth of practical knowledge, case studies, and research to support anyone interested in integrating trees into farming systems; whether through silvopasture, silvoarable, silvohorticulture, woodland grazing, or hedgerow management. It includes guidance on tree species selection, funding options, policy developments, and insights into long-term management issues such as tree fodder, pruning, and integrating livestock.
Three silvopasture tree planting designs to suit your farm
Seven farmers in Devon, UK, are integrating trees with livestock on their farms and monitoring the impact on livestock behaviour, biodiversity and soil health metrics as part of a 12-year field lab through the Innovative Farmers programme. Explore details of 3 planting designs in particular which include providing sources of nutrition and medicine through access to browse.
Future Proofing Dairy Farms Through Landscape Design
This recording is of a Groundswell 2024 session, in which Claire Whittle, James Robinson, Dr Lindsay Whistance (principal Tree Fodder Technical Guide author) and Pete Leeson explore the role and challenges of incorporating trees into dairy farming systems. It includes reference to hedges and roundels for medicinal browsing, orchards as hospital fields, wood pasture, agroforestry and in-field trees, and focuses on the practicalities of integrating trees into your farming system.
Silage
Silage can successfully be made from tree fodder and some zoos are well-practiced in producing it to provide environmental enrichment for hooved mammals. With a growing interest in alternative uses for short-rotation coppices, and with improving mechanisation capabilities for harvesting coppiced crops, there is potential for tree fodder silage to become a meaningful component of livestock diets. There is much to learn still about the ensilability and Relative Forage Quality of different tree species and varieties. Whilst ensiling willow has no effect on nutritional content, it can substantially alter salicin content, the impacts of which are yet to be fully understood.
Find out what two forward-thinking zoos are putting into practice
Chester Zoo: Fodder production from Short Rotation Coppice willows
Chester Zoo produces about 25% of the fodder required by their animals from short rotation coppice willow which is harvested up to two times a year and fed to the animals with locally sourced shredded stems, branches and leaves. Explore the practicalities of growing and harvesting and information on browsing preferences.
Restoring woodlands and planting trees for sustainability success
This information from Marwell Zoo describes how they try to encourage natural feeding behaviour and nutrition by including leafy material in the animals’ diets, along with collecting browse that can be stored in barrels for feeding through the winter months.
With thanks to Lindsay Whistance, Tim Downes, Lynn Cassells and Sandra Baer, Patrick Barbour, Organic Research Centre, Innovative Farmers and Duncan Elliott for some of the images used within the Hub. The majority of other images are drawn from the Agricology website where they are credited in corresponding content.
All Rights Reserved apply to all images.
Created by Janie Caldbeck.
Edited by:
Janie CaldbeckAssociated Agricology Partner Organisation(s):
Author(s):
Janie CaldbeckOrganisation(s):
- Agricology
Date:
29/01/2026Evidence:
Applied research
Farmer experience
Copyright:
All Rights ReservedRelated articles
