Cost of controling weeds

[Alan]

Any general ideas on the cost of controling weeds per acre in pasture. I have gotten a lot of broadleaf stuff, dandelions, clover mostly. I don't want to tear up and replant, just improve pasture quality. Also what type of spray do some of you use. I have been fertilizing with horse manure the past year or so over a 30 (now 50) acre area. I do plan on speaking with an extension agent.

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Caustic Burno]

Any general ideas on the cost of controling weeds per acre in pasture. I have gotten a lot of broadleaf stuff, dandelions, clover mostly. I don't want to tear up and replant, just improve pasture quality. Also what type of spray do some of you use. I have been fertilizing with horse manure the past year or so over a 30 (now 50) acre area. I do plan on speaking with an extension agent.

Thanks,
Alan

Depends on what you are using Alan, with 2-4-d I figure 5 to 6 dollars an acre Grazon is higher and Remedy is higher. I really dont care for the grazon as it kills the seed grass as well as weed.

 

[dun]

I think something that needss to be looked at to balance out the cost of controlling weeds is what are the costs of not controlling them

dun

 

[Alan]

Thanks for the replies CB and Dun. Dun that is my thoughts also, but 5 to 6 dollars/acre isn't bad, and I'm hoping to be able to increase the number of head per acre. Every year at this time I see how quick they take down a pasture, when you throw in a 5 month old calf with every cow you have.

Thanks,
Alan

 

[MikeC]

Controlling weeds doesn't stop at spraying, mowing, etc.

A good thick sod of grass will go far to prevent weed infestation. Severe overgrazing is a definite no-no.

Fertilizer costs, liming, should all be included for proper pasture management.

It would be hard to put a complete figure on it.

 

[J. T.]

Controlling weeds doesn't stop at spraying, mowing, etc.

A good thick sod of grass will go far to prevent weed infestation. Severe overgrazing is a definite no-no.

Fertilizer costs, liming, should all be included for proper pasture management.

It would be hard to put a complete figure on it.

Mike is dead on on this one. I fertilize my fescue with 60 lbs of N/acre in the fall (just finished this morning) and it really makes it tough on the weeds to compete with that ol' KY 31 fescue sod.

 

[Jogeephus]

I amazed clover is considered a weed in Oregon. I fight hard to get clover established and often times won't spray fields that have good stands of it in them. I have been trying to build the soil and cut down on N applications by incorporating clover into the pastures and hay fields. Nevertheless, some other cheap broadleaf control is Atrazine (in March here) or 2,4-D. Both do a pretty good job and are cheap. I don't like Grazon because I don't like the chemical Picloram thats in it. I do use a lot of Garlon aka Remedy.

 

[Caustic Burno]

IMO the biggest thing I see most people cut short is pasture management. You have to be a grass farmer first.

 

[Alan]

I amazed clover is considered a weed in Oregon. I fight hard to get clover established and often times won't spray fields that have good stands of it in them. I have been trying to build the soil and cut down on N applications by incorporating clover into the pastures and hay fields. Nevertheless, some other cheap broadleaf control is Atrazine (in March here) or 2,4-D. Both do a pretty good job and are cheap. I don't like Grazon because I don't like the chemical Picloram thats in it. I do use a lot of Garlon aka Remedy.

Just because I consider clover a weed, doesn't mean it's a weed. I see now a lot of my problem is I let the cows eat it down too far. The clover will just become ground cover about a half inch off the dirt. And for me I would rather have 12" high grass then a max of 4 to 6 inch high clover.

Alan

 

[Alan]

What is ideal for grazing a pasture? For example let it grow to 8 to 12 inches let the cattle graze down to 3" and then mow and let grow? Just a rough guess, your thoughts?

Alan

 

[dun]

What is ideal for grazing a pasture? For example let it grow to 8 to 12 inches let the cattle graze down to 3" and then mow and let grow? Just a rough guess, your thoughts?

Alan

Grazing heights depends on what grasses they are. Some do better grazed short others need to be eft 4-6 inches. That's part of the reason that trying mixed stands of very different grasses never works out as well as you plan.
Also, continuous grazing will damage the more desireable, to the cows, grassesby continuously removing the new growth. If the plant has to regrow from it's root reserves to much it will die out and leave other less desireable, to the cows, forages.

dun

 

[Herefordcross]

Stocking rate has a lot to do with it to, I watch my neighbor graze the same pasture year after year and he never seems to run out of grass and as far as weeds you can't see any to amount to anything and he claims he doesn't spray at all!

 

[dun]

Stocking rate has a lot to do with it to, I watch my neighbor graze the same pasture year after year and he never seems to run out of grass and as far as weeds you can't see any to amount to anything and he claims he doesn't spray at all!

I have a neighbor that does the same thing. The grass is about the length of pool table felt, no weeds, cows are skinny and he feeds hay almost all year long. I think the main problem is he runs about a dozen horses along with the cows.

dun

 

[Herefordcross]

That has always amazed me. Horse people are the pickiest bunck when it comes to hay for their pets but, when they're out on pasture the jokers eat a pasture down to the dirt, If they'll eat all of that then why in the world does my neighbor NEED Timothy hay with just a dash of Alfalfa for her horses?

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Pasture grass is a "crop".

Consider: "What will it cost you if you DON'T control the weeds"

 

[Jogeephus]

I amazed clover is considered a weed in Oregon. I fight hard to get clover established and often times won't spray fields that have good stands of it in them. I have been trying to build the soil and cut down on N applications by incorporating clover into the pastures and hay fields. Nevertheless, some other cheap broadleaf control is Atrazine (in March here) or 2,4-D. Both do a pretty good job and are cheap. I don't like Grazon because I don't like the chemical Picloram thats in it. I do use a lot of Garlon aka Remedy.

Just because I consider clover a weed, doesn't mean it's a weed. I see now a lot of my problem is I let the cows eat it down too far. The clover will just become ground cover about a half inch off the dirt. And for me I would rather have 12" high grass then a max of 4 to 6 inch high clover.

Alan

I see your point. Where I live, I don't think I've ever seen clover actually compete with my grass in any way. This is a definite difference in regions. I had a professor tell us the definition of a weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted. For the most part, our grasses will smother the clover if you don't keep it grazed down. I still fight to keep the clover out there for the N credits - many of my friends have given up.

 

[dun]

I had a professor tell us the definition of a weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted.

I told that to the grandkids and they wanted me to start flower beds for bull, nettle, thistle, queen anns lace, ragweed, spiny pigweed, etc.

dun

 

[cowtrek]

I gotta agree with Jogeephus on this one... I would think twice about killing the clover. The only thing better than nitrogen is FREE nitrogen! Sounds like if your clover is overrunning the grass and forms a mat a couple inches high you might be overgrazing or something?? Don't want to accuse or anything just curious how that could happen. I'd LOVE to have clover running rampant down here.

Going back to the comments on the grazing heights, yep it depends on the species in question, as does the rest period it needs between grazing cycles. Generally, the faster growing grasses can be grazed shorter and more often than slower growing grasses which should be left with a higher stubble and allowed to regrow longer before regrazing. I don't quite understand why anyone would want to cut the pasture after it's grazed either. Are yall talking about cutting the weeds the cows leave behind or ungrazed grasses, such as less desirable grasses the cows passed over or around patties where they won't readily graze? I haven't found it necessary. Once in awhile I'll put them in on a patch and 'flash graze' it or leave them on awhile longer to "make" them eat the taller stuff. Yes it's harder on the good grass because they graze it closer too but if you only do it occassionally it doesn't seem to hurt it.

Good point on stocking density too. Recent articles I've read suggest that most folks are about 15% overstocked at least. Curiously enough culling the worst 15% of your herd will solve about 90% of your health and breeding problems. So the contention is that culling that 15% is a win-win scenario, as it removes your problems and leaves more grass and grazing for your highest performers, and improves your pastures and grass as well.

Yall take it easy! OL JR

 

[Alan]

I do feel my problem is over grazing the pasture. In the last 5+ years I have been working on recapturing pasture that was last used in the late 60's as strawberry fields. So pretty much wild grass with a mixture of fetch, and clover, also plenty of black berries and thistle (both canadian and bull), and some tansy. Although I have never really done anything to improve the pasture other than spray blackberries, thistle and pull up tansy. I have been putting horse manure, via manure spreader, on the acres during the last year. I started this spring with about 35 previously grazed acres and raised 7 cow/calf pairs, had a 4 year old bull and 5 yearling heifers (19 head total) on it. During the summer I (we) cleared an additional 15 acres at let the herd rotational graze on that for a month +, so now we are up to +/- 50 acres.

I would hope that my herd is not too large for 50 acres on rotational grazing.... I don't believe it is, I think I need to be a better grass farmer.

Alan