Birds such as flickers, robins, and thrushes use our conifer trees as perches. From the tops of tree rows, they can easily survey the pasture alleys for insects, worms, and other food items. Unfortunately, heavy bodied birds frequently break the terminal leaders off trees when attempting to perch on leaders which have not yet become woody. Birds faeces deposited near trees may contain weed seeds. Newly established poison oak under several silvopasture trees most likely arrived by this mechanism.
Livestock are generally easier to herd in row silvopasture than in grid or cluster plantings.
Their natural tendency is to drift parallel to barriers such as tree rows. Given a choice, animals will usually head downwind. This makes herding livestock between rows relatively easy. However, they may be reluctant to cross between rows. This is especially true for animals who are used to electric fencing.