Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: 12th on September 21, 2007, 05:12:32 am

Title: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: 12th on September 21, 2007, 05:12:32 am
I had been trying to read up on how dangerous, if at all, honeybees are to livestock such as cattle. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much on the subject.

I have about 41 acres of land to work with, but I have found what I think will be a great spot for my bees. It's near a creek that runs through the land, and the pollen stretches as far as the eye can see. The only problem is, this area is fairly close to the property line, over which my neighbor has cattle. I'm just curious if my bees pose a threat to his cattle at all. I really don't wish to start any feuds with my neighbor over this.  Thanks in advance for any help!

-Tory.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Mici on September 21, 2007, 06:49:42 am
if cattle are fenced, NOOOO problem. bees have their own buisiness, they don't have time to mess around with cattle or other stuff, AS LONG as these animals don't tip over their home or something.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Michael Bush on September 21, 2007, 08:05:18 am
>had been trying to read up on how dangerous, if at all, honeybees are to livestock such as cattle. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find much on the subject.

Like he said.  Fence them off and there is no problem.  Don't fence them off and cattle usually don't bother them and the bees don't bother the cattle, but sometimes the cattle will rub on the hive and knock it over accidentally.  Horses, on the other hand, will get a taste for honey and eat the hive, boxes, frames and all.  It looks worse than a bear attack.  Fence the horses off for sure.  Of course some horses never get the taste and won't bother them, but why find out the hard way?

Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: 12th on September 21, 2007, 08:17:21 am
The cattle are fenced, thankfully. That definitely extinguishes a major worry I was having. Thanks a lot for your help!

-Tory.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Understudy on September 21, 2007, 08:55:33 am
The only animal I have heard that it wasn't good to have bees with was horses. I believe Jerry Hayes mentioned it in his monthly article in Bee Culture. However Michael has been rasing horses and bees together for some time now.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Mici on September 21, 2007, 10:40:55 am
well, i heard that horses are very very prone to poison. 5 bees are supposed to be enough for an adault horse. so i don't know about horses eating honey.....
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Bennettoid on September 21, 2007, 11:11:22 am
Well, I've watched my daughter ride past my hives at a full gallop, within 6 feet of the entrance of the hives and they were fine. Of course the hives are on the side of the pasture about 10 feet outside the fence. I've seen bees land on a horse and the horse just twitches and the bee leaves. Even when the bees are on the clover in the pasture they seem to know the horse is coming and move out of its way.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Kathyp on September 21, 2007, 12:50:28 pm
my horses are in the pasture next to the bees.  my arena is close to the bees.  i have one horse that likes to stand at the fence, in the flight path, and watch the bees come and go.  i have never seen any sign of them being stung or the bees being bothered.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Michael Bush on September 21, 2007, 09:12:59 pm
>well, i heard that horses are very very prone to poison. 5 bees are supposed to be enough for an adault horse. so i don't know about horses eating honey.....

Mine graze right up to the fence which is only a couple of feet from the hives.  When I had some Buckfasts back in 2001 I saw them get stung a few times.  They didn't stick around the hives. Since I got rid of those I have not noticed them getting stung.  Mine are all black.

http://www.bushfarms.com/friesians.htm

Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: beeginner on September 21, 2007, 09:27:15 pm
Im going to have 7 hives in the spring. Well I have 2 now and mine are by 15 horses one is mine. Well I have my hives in a lot thats about  40x50 all fenced off with barb wire. Well the closest the horses can get to them is maybe 5 to 8 feet. The fence to to tall for them to get there heads down to them.  My horse will just stand there and look at them fly. What im trying to get at are horses ok as long as thay can not get to them? lol I think thay will be ok thay never wanted to bug them. I know the horses will get into yellow jackets and get stung on the face and there ok.  Thanks for the help
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Michael Bush on September 21, 2007, 10:24:47 pm
The important distance isn't how close they can get, but how far they can get...
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: beeginner on September 21, 2007, 11:27:26 pm
Sorry im slow but what you getting at is how far the horses can get away :?  lol. If thats what you getting at thay have 3 miles to run. I can put my hives more in the center and then thay wil be at lest 25 feet away. Right now my hives are still down south. My friend the state bee guy is in  NEPAL right by china and india Teaching beekeeping and showing the honey hunters how not to kill all the bees. So when he comes back we will go get all the hives. So im trying to plan out where I want to put the hives in the lot. And the lot is not even 100 feet from my house. Any ways thanks for the help and sorry im being slow.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Cindi on September 22, 2007, 12:04:38 pm
Beginner, I notice in your last couple of posts you keep apologizing for being slow.  I don't think you are, and I don't think other people think you are.  Don't beat yourself up.  This forum is a place where anyone can ask any questions that they want, it doesn't matter what the degree of question is.  If people are not understanding what you want to for answer, keep on asking until you get the answer that makes you feel good about your question.  Always do this, no one will get impatient.  We all were beginning with the bees at one point in our lives.  We all asked questions that we thought others thought were dumb.

There are no dumb questions.  You would be surprised how much even the beekeepers that have been beekeeping for a long time can learn from some questions that are asked.  I am one of those.  I learn so much all the time from all the wonderful questions that individuals ask on this forum.  Ask you questions until you get the answer that makes you feel comfortable that you understand.  Always remember that, it is important for learning.

I do not learn many things in the "regular" way that people learn.  I am one of those that has difficulties with many things.  For instance carpentry.  Do you think that I could ever nail together boards to make something?  Nope!!!!  I can't do that, don't know if I ever will.  Well, Beginner, you have the entire forum at your fingertips.  Ask your questions, and ask more and more if you don't understand.  Have a wonderful day, remember, you are important in our forum.  Cindi
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Michael Bush on September 22, 2007, 12:15:30 pm
>Sorry im slow but what you getting at is how far the horses can get away huh  lol.

Yes.

>If thats what you getting at thay have 3 miles to run.

Then I wouldn't worry about it.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: beeginner on September 22, 2007, 04:58:23 pm
Cool thank you so much!!  Makes me feel a lot better. I was just woried about 7 hives and from what I see of the net about honeybees killing horses when there getting ready to saddle up. But when I do put one the horses its 150 feet away. I do reminber my friend that has the land with the horses was bush hoging with a 12 foot hog and went right by the fence with the hives and thay did not even look at him.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Michael Bush on September 22, 2007, 07:36:02 pm
I would never leave any animal tied up within 50 ft of the front of the hives.  100 wouldn't hurt my feelings.  :)
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Cindi on September 23, 2007, 12:34:59 pm
Beginner, I am glad that you feel better.  And remember!!!!  Ask all questions, as many times as needed.  Have a wonderful day, Cindi
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: fcderosa on September 23, 2007, 01:09:35 pm
The cattle will mess up your hives.  I lost four this way.  Not just once but twice.  They like to lean against them and knock them over.  When they're done tranpling over everything you'll have little left but empty boxes.  Fence the hives with barbwire, or electric, then they'll be safe. :(
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: 12th on September 24, 2007, 05:12:50 am
The cattle I'm referring to are all fenced in with barbed wire, they definitely won't be getting near the bees. I was just worried that maybe the bees would fly across the fence and tease the cattle. I didn't want my neighbor complaining of his cows being covered with bee stings or anything. Also, our horses will be kept a good 700-1000 feet from the bees, so no worries there.

Thanks for all of your help, guys! It's much appreciated.

-Tory.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Cindi on September 24, 2007, 11:54:58 pm
12th, Tory.  The bees do not "tease" anything on this earth.  They are doing their own thing, and that is to collect pollen and nectar for the good of their kingdom, to feed themselves and their babies.  They have absolutely nothing else on their mind, perhaps, other than to protect their home and their babies.  That is what we as humans also do.  We live to "serve and protect".

Love this day, love that day, love all the days, and enjoy this life that we all have a chance to live in.  Cindi
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Barngodess on September 26, 2007, 08:35:27 pm
My hive is fenced out of the pasture, but it is right next to the pasture. It is on a slight hill, so that the bees can fly out of the entrance straight ahead if they like, and their flight path is just above the horses. My horses have about 5 acres to graze on , but they can be found right next to the hive grazing and the bees never seem to bother them at all.

Melissa
 ;)
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Cindi on September 27, 2007, 01:50:47 pm
Melissa, you painted a very pretty picture in my mind's eye of your horses and bees, thank you.  I love horses, I miss not keeping horses on my property anymore.  But when my girls grew up, we kept their horses for many years, but too much work for so little pleasure.  I had a beauty of a grey Arab that was mine, but she became very lame because of foundering issues.  I ended up giving her to a woman who wanted a nice little horse to use for lessons for children.  She was willing to work with my Arab and "fix" her hooves, she was a farrier and could spend the time and effort.  It was a sad day for me when I had to give up trying to fix her feet, but it was just getting too costly with all the corrective shoeing that was required.  This Arab always had issues with founder, colic, don't know why, but she just wasn't the healthiest of mares I guess.  Oh well, gone off topic, but I can carry on.  Have a wonderful day, love our beautiful life we live in.  Cindi
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Brian D. Bray on September 27, 2007, 10:17:48 pm
Most horse owners who complain about bees bothering their horses don't know what a horsefly looks like.  A drone and a horsefly look a lot alike.  Those are the ones who have usually come to being horse owners at a later age, not raised on a farm.  some such owners I've met have never even heard of a horsefly let alone know it is colored very similar to a honeybee.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: beeginner on September 27, 2007, 11:19:23 pm
Melissa, you painted a very pretty picture in my mind's eye of your horses and bees, thank you.  I love horses, I miss not keeping horses on my property anymore.  But when my girls grew up, we kept their horses for many years, but too much work for so little pleasure.  I had a beauty of a grey Arab that was mine, but she became very lame because of foundering issues.  I ended up giving her to a woman who wanted a nice little horse to use for lessons for children.  She was willing to work with my Arab and "fix" her hooves, she was a farrier and could spend the time and effort.  It was a sad day for me when I had to give up trying to fix her feet, but it was just getting too costly with all the corrective shoeing that was required.  This Arab always had issues with founder, colic, don't know why, but she just wasn't the healthiest of mares I guess.  Oh well, gone off topic, but I can carry on.  Have a wonderful day, love our beautiful life we live in.  Cindi
            CINDI           There is a # of reasons why she was colicing. #1 Might of been the feed that you was giveing her. #2 Her insides might of been a little dry and she can not get all the feed down. I have a old horse and he did the same thing well theres a lady I help that was race horses. Well she told me to give him so corn oil ever time I feed him. After that no more problems. It was just his valves was dry. And we had to change the feed. We give him a sr horse feed lol. My friend had a problem with a horse eating to fast and colicing. So the vet had to come out and push the feed out of his throt. After that he can only eat mesh feed.  Any ways you have a good week. And bee good
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Cindi on September 27, 2007, 11:52:24 pm
Beginner, you are probably correct, what you say makes sense.  it has been 5 years or so since I gave my Arab mare to that wonderful woman who I knew would look after her really well.  I will keep your information stored in my head in case we ever get horses again, and we have colic issues.  Have a wonderful day, Cindi
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: beeginner on September 28, 2007, 07:42:26 pm
Beginner, you are probably correct, what you say makes sense.  it has been 5 years or so since I gave my Arab mare to that wonderful woman who I knew would look after her really well.  I will keep your information stored in my head in case we ever get horses again, and we have colic issues.  Have a wonderful day, Cindi


Hey Cindi hear is the link to the lady I help that has racehorses. She has not updeated her site in a long time but some of the horses on there ar stiil at home.   http://www.sunnylandarabians.com/ and there arabians!!!!!!   I just took a look at the site and she has done some stuff to it.  If you look you will find a horse named JOLLY ROGER  He is the big bad race horse. And for a male horse he is really nice. Most of the horses she still has.
Title: Re: Honeybees dangerous to livestock?
Post by: Cindi on September 29, 2007, 11:29:46 am
Beginner, that is a cool site, thanks for the link.  Have a great day, wonderful life.  Cindi