How many weeds can you name ?

[AL-beef]

This is a picture of patches in my "supposed" to be hay field. Will 2-4-d kill most of what is here ? If not what grass friendly herbicide will ?

 

[JustSimmental]

I can only name the bad ones --- because some weeds cattle like a lot --- not wasting my hard earned money killing beneficials.

 

[AL-beef]

Good though. I have no idea what most of this is much less it's nutritional value. Some weeds don't have any. I just hate putting $600/ton of fertilizer out and not growing good grass. ;-)

I am here to gain knowledge and insight though.

 

[JustSimmental]

yeah, I understand that; I dont know what kind of grass you have that's worth $600/ton for fertilizer,
but on warm season grasses early spring weeds you can just let the cows graze them off as most warm season grasses won't start rapid growth until our mornings get above 50 degrees F--anyway.

I quit fertilizing permanent pastures some years ago due to the inefficiency of it all. I aerate pastures every 90 days during the growing season and Spring calving cows spend their feeding hours on Millet, which can outgrow any warm season grass on the planet for $100/acre. And on that acre we limit graze 6 cow/calf pairs. Our cows eat everything but Pigweed (over 30 days old) and wild mustard, but a spot spray of gramoxone takes care of them fairly efficiently.

JS

Good though. I have no idea what most of this is much less it's nutritional value. Some weeds don't have any. I just hate putting $600/ton of fertilizer out and not growing good grass. ;-)

I am here to gain knowledge and insight though.

 

[TexasBred]

Good though. I have no idea what most of this is much less it's nutritional value. Some weeds don't have any. I just hate putting $600/ton of fertilizer out and not growing good grass. ;-)

I am here to gain knowledge and insight though.

AL many pasture weeds have protein levels as high or highter than dairy grade alfalfa and are highly digestible with digestibility decreasing as the plants become more mature. If the cattle eat them I wouldn't be too concerned about my fert. being wasted.

 

[AL-beef]

Thanks for the responses. This isn't currently used for pasture, I plan to roll it for hay. I bought this field and it had been left fallow for a few years. It was once a good bermuda/bahia field. The tall weeds I wiped and spot spayed with round up last year and plan to do so till they are gone, or at least controled. Just trying to clean it up a lil better.
If they turn out to be highly nutritious I may leave it alone. I'd like to know what they are though. The one in the second picture is spiney and they won't touch it.

 

[Howdyjabo]

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/lesst.htm

 

[fargus]

Thanks for the responses. This isn't currently used for pasture, I plan to roll it for hay. I bought this field and it had been left fallow for a few years. It was once a good bermuda/bahia field. The tall weeds I wiped and spot spayed with round up last year and plan to do so till they are gone, or at least controled. Just trying to clean it up a lil better.
If they turn out to be highly nutritious I may leave it alone. I'd like to know what they are though. The one in the second picture is spiney and they won't touch it.

The one in the second picture is called cleavers. It is in the bedstraw family. It's a tough weed, can act like a winter annual or a spring annual. 2,4-D won't touch it, and glyphosate is just fair. Your best bet is something in the pyridine family of chemicals. (Lontrel, Milestone, Trophy, Distinct.) Problem with those chemicals is they are REALLY hard on legumes, and Milestone especially has a lot of residual.

 

[dimestorecowboy]

My hay fields always have winter/spring weeds in them . I usually cut and roll them the first time as a clean up cutting . Cows don't seem to mind eating most of it . After the first cutting most if not all of the weeds are gone . Then I apply my fertilizer. Around here yograss doesn't really start to grow well until the nights are above 70 .

 

[TexasBred]

Thanks for the responses. This isn't currently used for pasture, I plan to roll it for hay. I bought this field and it had been left fallow for a few years. It was once a good bermuda/bahia field. The tall weeds I wiped and spot spayed with round up last year and plan to do so till they are gone, or at least controled. Just trying to clean it up a lil better.
If they turn out to be highly nutritious I may leave it alone. I'd like to know what they are though. The one in the second picture is spiney and they won't touch it.

I've seen some of that spiney one around here..almost like a vine and will stick to your pants legs. Have no idea what it is but the cows won't touch it.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Thanks for the responses. This isn't currently used for pasture, I plan to roll it for hay. I bought this field and it had been left fallow for a few years. It was once a good bermuda/bahia field. The tall weeds I wiped and spot spayed with round up last year and plan to do so till they are gone, or at least controled. Just trying to clean it up a lil better.
If they turn out to be highly nutritious I may leave it alone. I'd like to know what they are though. The one in the second picture is spiney and they won't touch it.

2-4-D will do it,, best time to get wild butter cups, is to catch a warm dry spell during late feb. early march ""which aint been easy lately"" before it blooms easy killed before then,, ive killed the thistle and pig weed out with it to