I have johnson grass overtaking a hayfield we just cut. I'm about to sprays grazon pd on it to knock down the goat weeds. Will grazon take care of it? Don't think it was a broad leaf so was worried just because I always heard it was hazardous to live stock on rare occasions.
Johnsongrass
- Thread starter KMETX
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KMETX":2vxhjhzb said:
Can you turn your cattle in to graze it? They will gobble it up and retard the future growth.
Rafter S
Well-known member
Grazon won't hurt it. It is hazardous to livestock on certain occasions, but that's only when it's stressed, such as in a drought or after a light frost. It makes good hay, and I've never heard of cattle having a problem with it after it's cured and baled.
Ky cowboy
Well-known member
Only way I've had any luck controlling it is by grazing when possible and rope wicks when not possible I have one hay field that its pretty bad in. I hate the stuff in hay fields, rope wick worked well for me takes several years to get it under control. Our main problem is neighbor's and along the state road they don't mow till after it seeds out and we start all over again, I try to keep road sides clipped to help and for looks
I've noticed it comes up with a vengeance whenever and wherever Round-Up has been used.
KMETX":2s7mr82d said:
They will hug your neck for it.
As has been mentioned as long as the grass isn't drought stressed you should be fine.
MtnCows93
Well-known member
Thats funny, i was trying to figure out a way to spread the seed and get more johnsongrass in one of my hayfields, makes great hay and alot of it! if you cut it when its still leafy it is super hay! if you cut it in a drought you need to wait at least a month before you feed it out just in case of prussic acid poisoning but other than that its gold in my opinion.
A.J.
Well-known member
Nitrate poisoning is my main concern for it in hay. Prussic acid will dissipate over time, but nitrate levels won't. Lots of cows in this area winter through on Johnsongrass hay. It's been dry here the last few weeks, and Johnsongrass is the only thing growing right now, so I'm thankful for it. If we don't get some rain soon, that's all our second cutting is gonna be.
Used to be that Heinz 57, JG and Coastal Bermuda were the only choices around here for hay, including horse hay. When I first moved out here 40 years ago, daughter had a horse and all it ate was JG hay. Horses roaming with cows eat what's available including JG and SS (Sorghum-Sudan). Never saw a horse down.
Put some NPK on it and it goes nuts. Never heard of a case PA poisioning with that nor SS which is what is planted now-a-days for volume hay production primarily along with the volunteer, even in stress times.
Nitrates in excess with nothing to consume it causing N poisoning doesn't happen around here either. Most hay patches are less than full fed on NPK. Only things bright green are corn fields.
Did have a friend that overdid the N and turned hungry, weined calves in on it with nothing else.....it was tall fescue! He lost a few.
Put some NPK on it and it goes nuts. Never heard of a case PA poisioning with that nor SS which is what is planted now-a-days for volume hay production primarily along with the volunteer, even in stress times.
Nitrates in excess with nothing to consume it causing N poisoning doesn't happen around here either. Most hay patches are less than full fed on NPK. Only things bright green are corn fields.
Did have a friend that overdid the N and turned hungry, weined calves in on it with nothing else.....it was tall fescue! He lost a few.
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
Texasmark":1eqtg8e2 said:
Yep and the worst case of prussic acid poisoning I know off occurred in a pure stand of TIFTON85.
https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/2012/06/26/exper ... -incident/
ClodHopper37869
Well-known member
IMHO, What we've been told about JG from our fathers & grandfathers is about 90% BS.
They hated JG, because they had to chop it out by hand with a goose-neck hoe, of their corn, tobacco, garden,or any other row crop that they grew. Knowing that Pap & Papaw would,, shell we say they were apt to exaggerate to some extent, guess they picked that up from fishin, LOL, but if they saw a 17 year old cow eatin JG and she died 30 days later they would blame on the JG, :mrgreen:
They hated JG, because they had to chop it out by hand with a goose-neck hoe, of their corn, tobacco, garden,or any other row crop that they grew. Knowing that Pap & Papaw would,, shell we say they were apt to exaggerate to some extent, guess they picked that up from fishin, LOL, but if they saw a 17 year old cow eatin JG and she died 30 days later they would blame on the JG, :mrgreen:
