Published: October 12, 2009 02:13 pm      

Persimmon trees loaded with fruit

As the weather gets cooler and cooler deer hunters should have something to cheer — a whopper of a persimmon crop.

Persimmon trees across East Texas have been loaded with persimmons this year, which could be a boon to the local wildlife population, according to Cherokee County AgriLife Extension Agent Rene McCracken.

“Deer and the goats love them (persimmons,)” Mrs. McCracken said of the East Texas fruit. “And if you wait until they’re good and ripe, most people would love them if they tried them.”

The most likely reason for the bumper crop, according to Mrs. McCracken, has to do with the weather.

“Right when the trees started putting on persimmons we had some good rain,” Mrs. McCracken explained. “Then as it got dry other things quit growing, and when the rains came back the persimmons had no competition.”

As far as livestock goes, Mrs. McCracken said there isn’t much to worry about with persimmons, unlike oak trees and acorns, persimmons do not contain tannic acid and pose no threat to cattle.

On the other hand, acorns can be lethal when eaten by cattle due to the tannic acid, and this year’s acorn crop could be plentiful.

“The easiest way to keep your cows healthy is to not have them in the pasture (with acorns,)” Mrs. McCracken said. “I would suggest fencing them off away from pastures with acorns.”

To help keep the cattle from gravitating toward the acorns, Mrs. McCracken said producers should give them adequate feed and hay.

“If all a cow has to eat is acorns, then that is what they are going to eat,” Mrs. McCracken said. “By the time you notice damage from acorns its already too late.”

The tannic acid from acorns and from green oak leaves can damage liver and kidney function. Some cows, though, even if they are well fed develop a taste for acorns and can’t be kept from them.

“It’s kind of like crack for cows,” Mrs. McCracken said. “It turns them into a walking bag of bones, but you can’t keep them from it.”

As for goats, they tend to thrive off acorns.

“Acorns actually helps with goats,” Mrs. McCracken said. “The tannic acid will actually work as a wormer.”

For now, though, keep cattle well fed and away from danger.