Spraying hay field

[JParrott]

Why can't Texas A&M come up with a genetically modified cow that enjoys eating weeds and weesatch? If we can land a man on the moon we can surely do that. That's just common sense.

Why Do We Believe Cows Prefer Grass?

If you’ve read On Pasture for very long, you know that before I created On Pasture, I was best known for creating a method for teaching cows (or any other ruminant) to eat weeds. Starting in …

onpasture.com

 

[greybeard]

Hello. You really don't have to spray. Farmed my entire life and if you simply mow consistently the weeds will lose energy.
In the long run, the good things you will avoid killing off will benefit your field and soil.

Does 'consistently' mean 'often'?

Are you also mowing down good forage along with the weeds?
Weeds don't necessarily or usually have any more stored energy in their root system than most perennial forages do.

(I -most years- mow my lawn every week. I've never fertilized it.
It has never died.
why not?

 

[Steve123]

Keep it mowed this summer and then Fall spray your weeds. Fertilize in the Spring and spot spray any weeds. Ag Phd has a great program for pasture spraying if this is a grass hayfield.



Also a good article from Hay & Forage Grower.

Weed and brush control: myths and mistakes

Weed and brush encroachment into pastures and hayfields can lower the ability to meet nutritional needs of most livestock operations. Over time, most producers eventually reduce animal numbers or supp,Grazing

hayandforage.com

 

[gruncattle]

Wanting advice, have a neglected hay field. Has lots of weeds. Could I spray 2-4-D and fertilize next spring. ? Other suggestions?

2,4-D will help. If you have woody vine growth, consider cuting the 2,4-D in 1/2 and adding Remedy to the other 1/2. There are several liquid fertilizers you could consider adding to that same pass. You should probably conduct a soil test before fertlizing. If your Ph is off, you'll just be wasting your fertilizer.

 

[Vschoettle]

Hello again.
We've bought land and against the advice of neighbors have mowed it early summer and late fall without spraying: the results were amazing. However, many are against this method. This works for us with excellent results. It may take 2 seasons for optimal grass cover but I am 56 yrs old and consistently have success with this method.

 

[Lisagrantb]

The easiest thing to do is spray but that isn't a magic bullet. If your soil conditions favor weeds then you will grow weeds faster than grass and it will be a cycle of spray then looks good then the damn weeds are back again. Soil test and correct this so your grass has better growing conditions than the weeds and assist with limited spraying and in a year or two you won't recognize that field.