Bees and cows ?

[shaper]

I have the opportunity to start raising grass fed beef. But I have 4 bee hives in the corner of the pasture I want to put them in. Big question is do cows and bees mix?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

My best friend's email address starts with beeancow@ .....
He was a small time dairy farmer for nearly two decades, til it was no longer profitable to continue. He kept bees all that time (in the pasture), and still keeps bees today. He would say they get along extremely well. I can put you in touch with him via email, if you wish.

[xbeeman412]

Works ok for Me. No hives turned over in years.

[Reddirt62]

More apt to be knocked over by calves but cattle do love to rub on things. Most folks I know with hives on pasture throw a few panels up.

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[brewer12345]

Put up a fence, should be no problem. Could even do electric.

[TreeKiller]

Strap the hives together like you are moving them. All the bee supply places have hive straps. It on pallets use plastic banding with the tightener that you can undo. Loop 1 end back through the tightener and all you have to do is pull that end and and reuse the strap.

[OldBearHair]

Saw a cow in the fenced in beehive area. The gate on one end had been left open. Went in the other gate and the cow left. I was riding Sara the super mule and as we passed the last one which was close to the road we were on, Sara coulldn't resist showing her comtempt for bees by pointing her nose close to the hive and gave them a snort before I had time to react. In no time at all it seemed a bee stung her on the ear (smashed it with fingers) one on the tail up high and one on her rear hock. I was on the ground by now and told her to go to the barn. She left the bees behind headed for the lane and turned the 75 degree corner without slowing any it seemed. I cut across the pasture to the barn unscathed. I would think that as a cow or bull would start to rub against a hive the bees would take over pretty quick. X2 what Brewer said.

[OldBearHair]

We had a bear visit the bee hives and destroyed or pulled everything apart to get the larvae. The beekeeper said that they liked the larvae for the protein benefit as well as some honey. You could drive up and get out of the car to survey the damage but several mad bees would meet you right away and you had to make a dive to get back in the truck. That went on a couple of days.

[Dieselhorses]

So "shaper" basically you live in the land of "milk and honey"? (Sorry I couldn't pass that one up!)

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Cows will rub on the hives, knocking them over. A couple strands of hot wire from a solar or battery-powered fence charger will keep them out. The hot wire/fence charger is also used in bear country to keep the bears out of the hives. You do need a fence to keep the cows away.