cattle nutrition

[gordon ross]

Being a new cattle farmer I have recently be forced by Canada weed act to use herbicide to control weeds. Herbicide is not only weed killer, it is death to ALL broad leaf vegetation. My question is, will I have to supply my cattle extra extra purchased feed supplements to ensure a complete and healthy diet (especially during winter hay feeding) when no broad leafs are available. Any answer that addresses nutrition directly and not weed education is greatly appreciated. Any referral to peer reviewed studies would also help. thks

 

[M-5]

There a re selective herbicides.what are you having to eradicate?

 

[gordon ross]

Canada weed act forces control of hawkweed, tall buttercup, ox-eye daisey, canada thistle, camamile, tanzy

 

[gordon ross]

Paraphrase Ronald Reagan - we are from the government and here to help

 

[bird dog]

Impossible to say without knowing what they are consuming in the winter that you think your herbicide is killing and how nutritious it is. Whatever I would not think it is enough to worry about and nothing a good mineral wouldn't take care of.

Are you thinking there is broad leaf grass or broad leaf weeds that they are consuming? Or is this a clover issue?

 

[kenny thomas]

Canada weed act forces control of hawkweed, tall buttercup, ox-eye daisey, canada thistle, camamile, tanzy

Since I think all of these listed are either avoided by or poison to cattle why would you be concerned about getting rid of them.

 

[gordon ross]

You are right, these weeds are to be eradicated but so will be EVERY other broad leaf plant, all clovers, alfalfa, all forbes, all fruiting plants, everything except grass family and cone bearing trees, everything. Any hay fields that contain alfalfa etc will be grass only. I am now forced to buy alfalfa and clover mixes and and ... to supplement winter cattle feed. My original question - what are the and and ... I need to supplement?
Paraphrase Ronald Reagan - We are from the government and here to help.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Some form of grazing management would be my choice. Maybe hit with the herbicide this year. Get a handle on things if they're out of hand.

Then next year, run a mower over the bad places before they produce seed. Then after another year or so, you can remove them by hand, hoe or machete, there are so few.

But its all about that grazing management. Worked wonders here.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Nutrition wise, they will survive.

Side note… I cannot imagine having to abide by stupid laws like that. I understand their purpose, but damn. Lets poison the world shall we? If you treat your land right, those opportunists, the weeds, will be few and far between.

 

[gordon ross]

Thanks for the replies, some good thoughts given. However the cattle will survive??? I want them to thrive.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Yes, they will be fine, maybe needing supplements in the winter. I really don't think you will have to kill all of your clover to control those weeds. The daisy types germinate in the fall so spraying your pastures in the fall after the clover has gone to seed, would be a good start. The thistles you can spot spray as soon as you see them come up. And a mower will clean up the rest. Mow early mow often.
Also well established white clover is 2,4-D hardy, so you will most likely still have any white clover growing.
Planting annual legumes is also an option.

 

[gordon ross]

thks truly for the info