OT - Mixed Grass, Foxtail and Horse Nettle

Bill VA · Aug 24, 2017

I've got a field of Timothy mixed grass. Walking it today, there are some patches of foxtail and a few pieces of horse nettle.

At what point do you disqualify your hay for horse consumption due to the presence of foxtail and horse nettle? How much of it is to much?

There is some decent grass in is this field, along with some stemmy purple top coming up. It is otherwise weed free. I hate to just bush hog it down. Maybe cow hay? Goats? Can they tolerate that stuff?

What's your limit on baling squares where there is potential for foxtail and a bit of horse nettle? If anyone has a pic they could post of a field "over-run" with foxtail, I'd like to see it for reference.

Thanks!
Bill

PS - this post is on multiple forums for a broad audience - thx!

dzc3 · Aug 25, 2017

In 1993 it rained nearly everyday in Eastern Iowa. My neighbor had new alfalfa seeding that was being overrun by foxtail. He baled it just to get it off the ground as not choke out the alfalfa. I bought that mostly foxtail hay and fed it to my stock cows. Heard how the cows would die, how it would poke holes in their gut yada yada yada. Cows licked it up, stayed in good condition. I never had an issue with the foxtail seeds taking over that pasture. I kept if pastured short so it never had a chance to seed out. Just my two cents.

Traditional Farmer · Aug 25, 2017

I cut right much hay almost all on other people's land and get it for free.I cut it all once a year,and cut whatever is there to cut probably end up cutting several hundred species of
grass,bushes and so called weeds over the course of the year.My cows and goats eat it just fine and keep up good,I feed them all they can eat all Winter what they don't eat they stomp in the ground for
fertilizer.As Joel Salatin says a good pasture will have 25 different species of plants in it and if 25 species makes good pasture it should make good hay too.

Part Time Pete · Aug 25, 2017

Around here goldenrod likes to creep in, especially if you don't get the hay off early enough. That's why I keep a few beef animals around - I sell the good stuff and give them the weedy stuff - they'll pick through it and leave what they don't like
Pete

Bobl1958 · Aug 25, 2017

Foxtail baled too late can be very hard on the mouths of horses and cattle. I have seen the results, albeit probably pretty rare. Google foxtail and horses if you are curious, but some of the pictures are tough to look at. I would guess if you can pass it as horse hay, go for it, otherwise sell it for cattle or goats. It would be extremely hard for someone to tell you for certain without looking at the field to see the amounts. Bob

Bkpigs · Aug 25, 2017

get control of that horse nettle asap. I have been fighting it for about 3 years now. The place we bought was not well taken care of. I have been spot spraying it with a 1/4 oz of milestone per gallon. The main goal is not to let it get berries, and if it does pull them off and throw them into your enemies field (just teasing, I wouldn't wish this stuff on anyone). I am pretty particular though and I know some guys that have it much worse than me and they don't seem bothered.

If you don't starve the animals they will pick the horse nettle out. Had a lady that nearly force fed her animals and they got mouth soars from the nettle.

Bill VA · Aug 26, 2017

Thanks everyone - I'll be selling this hay as "cow" hay.

Bret4207 · Aug 27, 2017

I find that weeds and light brush or "bedding hay" magically turn into 1st class feed about the end of February and suddenly become much more valuable. :lol:

Seriously, sell the super nice stuff to the horse people and feed/sell the rest out to regular people with cattle, sheep, goats, etc.

FWIW- a goat is about the pickiest eater there is in the livestock world. A goat will turn down that super nice $$$ stuff and go for the coarser feed- unless it's moldy, has been stepped on, has had another animals mouth on it, etc. Goats don't eat tin cans and license plates.

Traditional Farmer · Aug 27, 2017

Actually goats are good at picking out the stuff with high nutrient value which is usually what many call 'weeds' that are usually way better feed than common hay grasses.

OT - Mixed Grass, Foxtail and Horse Nettle

Bill VA

Well-known Member

dzc3

Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

Part Time Pete

Well-known Member

Bobl1958

Well-known Member

Bkpigs

Member

Bill VA

Well-known Member

Bret4207

Well-known Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

Similar threads