Grass killing Cattle ??

[Arkansas]

I seen an article the other day saying that certain grasses growing here in the south is killing cattle, it releases Cyanide ? Is this true and if the grass is natural then why would the cattle eat it ? Wouldn't they naturally know that its bad for them ? Would it be because there forced to graze small paddocks with less to eat so they just grab whatever ? I mean I thought black walnuts kill cattle to but never seen them actually eat them..

 

[Richardin52]

Cattle will not eat something that will harm them unless they are starving, no matter how high the stock density is.

 

[M.Magis]

Cattle will not eat something that will harm them unless they are starving, no matter how high the stock density is.

I don't know about cyanide in grass, but I know that's not true. There are plenty of plants that can harm or kill cattle, and they will eat many of them even if not forced.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Cattle will not eat something that will harm them unless they are starving, no matter how high the stock density is.

:bs: :bs: I guess you have never seen full cows get into a corn field, alfalfa field, sudan field,Johnson grass or a 100 other things that can kill them
I have seen cows eat their way across a field and where their tracks end is where they will be laying DEAD

 

[greybeard]

(most of) The grasses only release the cyanide/prussic acid toxins under certain conditions. High N and low P-K soils add to the problems, and it seems I have read that 2,4-D application can cause cyanide levels to increase as well.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Why the cows ate it is because it is harmless in a normal state so they didn't know that it was now toxic when the drought came.

 

[Richardin52]

Cattle will not eat something that will harm them unless they are starving, no matter how high the stock density is.

I don't know about cyanide in grass, but I know that's not true. There are plenty of plants that can harm or kill cattle, and they will eat many of them even if not forced.

I stand corrected, cows will eat till they die such things as apples and grain. Around here we almost never have doughts and when we do they are pretty short lived so I have never seen cyanide in grass.

 

[dun]

The last time this thread was run it was pretty much decided on here that P Poor Managment was the cause, but blaming it on the grass made them feel better. Maybe even got to collect on insurance.

 

[chippie]

Did you read the article about the roping steers that died?

 

[dun]

Did you read the article about the roping steers that died?

It was all part of the orginal thread

 

[chippie]

That is what I was thinking. It was an unfortunate accident.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Johnson grass will kill them. The poisonous constituent of Johnsongrass is cyanide, a most lethal toxin that can kill a fully grown cow in an hour if enough forage is consumed. Johnsongrass tends to produce cyanide whenever it is stressed as by drought, insect infestation or frost. If Johnsongrass is cut at the proper stage and cured correctly, it can be safely used for hay.
We had several instances of cows dying last summer in south west missouri, from feeds that are normally fine. One guy lost most of his herd when he moved them to a new pasture.

 

[dun]

Johnson grass will kill them. The poisonous constituent of Johnsongrass is cyanide, a most lethal toxin that can kill a fully grown cow in an hour if enough forage is consumed. Johnsongrass tends to produce cyanide whenever it is stressed as by drought, insect infestation or frost. If Johnsongrass is cut at the proper stage and cured correctly, it can be safely used for hay.
We had several instances of cows dying last summer in south west missouri, from feeds that are normally fine. One guy lost most of his herd when he moved them to a new pasture.

Johnson Grass is callsified as a noxious weed in MO and by law has to be eliminated. I think I would have a hard time reportingto the state or my insurance that I had cows die from eating it.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Johnson grass will kill them. The poisonous constituent of Johnsongrass is cyanide, a most lethal toxin that can kill a fully grown cow in an hour if enough forage is consumed. Johnsongrass tends to produce cyanide whenever it is stressed as by drought, insect infestation or frost. If Johnsongrass is cut at the proper stage and cured correctly, it can be safely used for hay.
We had several instances of cows dying last summer in south west missouri, from feeds that are normally fine. One guy lost most of his herd when he moved them to a new pasture.

Johnson Grass is callsified as a noxious weed in MO and by law has to be eliminated. I think I would have a hard time reportingto the state or my insurance that I had cows die from eating it.

Then 80% of the farms in Mo are breaking the law and I would say 100% in the southern half of the state
I knew it was illegal to plant Johnson Grass in Mo but have never heard that you had to eradicate it

 

[dun]

Johnson grass will kill them. The poisonous constituent of Johnsongrass is cyanide, a most lethal toxin that can kill a fully grown cow in an hour if enough forage is consumed. Johnsongrass tends to produce cyanide whenever it is stressed as by drought, insect infestation or frost. If Johnsongrass is cut at the proper stage and cured correctly, it can be safely used for hay.
We had several instances of cows dying last summer in south west missouri, from feeds that are normally fine. One guy lost most of his herd when he moved them to a new pasture.

Johnson Grass is callsified as a noxious weed in MO and by law has to be eliminated. I think I would have a hard time reportingto the state or my insurance that I had cows die from eating it.

Then 80% of the farms in Mo are breaking the law and I would say 100% in the southern half of the state
I knew it was illegal to plant Johnson Grass in Mo but have never heard that you had to eradicate it

It isn;t enforced, but it could be a deal that would bite your backside if you had cows die from it and you reported it.

 

[Angus Cowman]

actually it is up to the individual counties in Mo if they want to enforce the laws about Johnson Grass or if they don't
I found several articles on it this one explains it the easiest
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 04,4936759

it was a 1962 article but the rules are still the same today from the other articles I read

 

[dun]

More current but pretty much the same:
http://mda.mo.gov/plants/ipm/noxiousweeds.php

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Our extension office actually put together a presentation on it, with pictures of the field and dead cows, among many other lethal feeds. Spotted knapp weed is is another one on the list, but it grows all over by us (not lethal though). They even let a bunch of beetles lose near us to see if that would help get control of the weed.... I just spray it when I find the rosettes.... There is no one around here getting arrested for it. But boy, sometimes I wish they would!

 

[machslammer]

50% of hay aorund my area is Johnson Grass and works great if cut at a shorter stage before the stems get to big..

Hear buttercups are deadly to cattle and everything else and NOTHING will eat it out of the fields here. . Sucky thing is 2-4 D will kill it along with all the clover thats been planted.... Grrr

 

[AndyL]

On the list in Mo. Marijuana. They tryin to eradicate that too?