Poo pick8ng when there dung beetles?

[Carrottom]

Do you continue to poo pick if you find dung beetles in the droppings or leave them to do their job?

 

[9tails]

I leave them a couple of nuggets.

 

[rabatsa]

I pick all the poo as the horses will be dropping more as soon as I finish anyway.

 

[eggs]

Poo pick as normal

 

[Polos Mum]

I do leave a tennis ball size amount over the big holes to give them a bit of protection. If I see the big ones then i'll pick them out of the barrow - they do a lovely job of aerating the soil and fertilising.
I also keep horses in after worming as wormers in poo can kill them sadly.

We seem to have 2 types small ones - woodlouse sized and some massive (see pic of hole below) they are bright iridescent blue underneath

 

[Carrottom]

Thanks all. I was looking for an excuse to stop poo picking, guess I had better keep at it and just leave some if I see the fellas. ?

 

[cobgoblin]

I put them on the heavenly big dung pile of their dreams. It doesn't seem to affect their numbers in the field.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Unless your land is over grazed poo-picking does more harm than good, as it removes the nitrogen which should be going back into the soil, as well as disturbing the minibeasts/local fauna.

 

[Carrottom]

The land isn't over grazed (about 10 acres for 3 horses) it is just that access is tricky for tractors and some areas tend to be too wet to harrow.

 

[Polos Mum]

I find my fields are grazed very unevenly if I don't do any collection while they are in there. I spread my muck heap on the fields spring and autumn to put goodness back in and then rest for 4-5 months.
My husband does query the point of hours digging poo out to then pay someone to spread it back over again - but I think it suits my land.

Mine was a livery yard so on 8 acres we have 11 tiny fields and no practical way of removing all the fencing so they rotate often.