Acorn glut

The number of New Forest ponies and cattle thought to have died as a result of eating acorns has jumped dramatically because of a bumper crop.

Forest verderers said about half a dozen animals usually succumb to the poisonous seeds each year but 31 have died so far in 2013.

Acorns contain toxic tannins that are poisonous to some animals including horses, cattle, goats and sheep.

Pigs, which can eat large amounts of acorns with no ill effect, are released into the forest for 60 days each year to eat fallen acorns, beech mast and chestnuts.

(Story released by BBC Hampshire)

I drove past this group of Pigs doing their thing today. They were quite noisy, snuffling around as I took this through the car window.