Just getting back into farming after 20+years, and just to make it complicated, in a completely different part of the country. Used to be in WA Now in TX. Went ahead and leased a 100+ Acre pasture and bought some bred cows. Now the work begins, the pasture is pretty deep in broomweed. Looks like there could be some decent grass under it if it could get a shot. To many mesquites to boom truck it and really going to be a pain even boomless spraying on a 4 wheeler, not impossible but going to take a while. From what I've read the cows aren't going to be clearing the broomweed very well. Any advice is begged for. I'm only going to put 6 head on it for the winter and really work to clear out trees during the winter and if all goes as planned spray like a hollywood spit take in the spring. Am I thinking right ? Is 6 on 130 acres about right on TX native with heavy broomweed?
Starting back in and covered in broomweed
- Thread starter Flying O
- Start date
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novatech
Well-known member
I would think that it is really to late to see any benefit from herbicide or shredding. If the canopy is thick there is likely no grass underneath. It is to late in the season for the warm season grasses to start. However if there is grass below then by all means go for it.
The second part of situation is that at this time of year most weeds are setting seed. It may already be to late to see any benefit for reducing next seasons weed crop.
Whar you can do is knock it down with either herbicide or shredding and then plan a cool season forage.
At this time I would not stock the pasture until you know you have forage. It is hard to come out when you start off your operation feeding hay.
With all this work in front of you I hope you are getting this pasture at only the cost of the improvments you need to make.
The second part of situation is that at this time of year most weeds are setting seed. It may already be to late to see any benefit for reducing next seasons weed crop.
Whar you can do is knock it down with either herbicide or shredding and then plan a cool season forage.
At this time I would not stock the pasture until you know you have forage. It is hard to come out when you start off your operation feeding hay.
With all this work in front of you I hope you are getting this pasture at only the cost of the improvments you need to make.
highgrit
Well-known member
Firebreak the perimeter and burn it. This is the cheapest way to make pasture that I have found. This spring spray with
2-4-D and your on your way. The state forestry and the county extension agent are some help also.
2-4-D and your on your way. The state forestry and the county extension agent are some help also.
Yeah, nothing's going to eat that broomweed, except bison or rhinocerous. I'm not gonna go there... :cowboy:
Even if cows graze through it, they'll come up with eye injuries from poking themselves on its stiff stems and branches.
I've dealt with it, too. Broomweed will usually move into an unmaintained pasture around here. The stems are like dowel rods. Right now, I would suggest shredding it short. Then wait a month or two and spray with 2,4-d for winter weeds, because you might get hit by plaintain this winter. Next spring, watch for the young broomweed coming up. Note that young broomweed looks totally different from the mature plant you're seeing now. In its young phase, it's a single vertical stalk coming up, with 2" straight leaves curling out from it. At that point, especially if it's under 6 inches, it's very susceptible to 2,4-d. I'd go pretty heavy at 1.5 to 2 quarts per acre, with a surfactant.
You might need to do a second spraying in late May, to get what the first spraying missed. Beyond that, you'll have to just wait for the spring rains, if any, to bring up whatever grass is there. I nailed the broomweed and ragweed this spring, so I'm keeping cows off my pasture this year, letting the native grass thicken out (which it's doing very nicely) and go to seed. Then after it seeds out, I'll cut it down and repeat the spray schedule described above. I'm tentatively planning to start grazing it again next spring around May or June.
Watch that mesquite, it will consume your land. Spray the trunks up about 24" with a 25/75 Remedy/diesel mix and that will kill them. You didn't mention anything about cedar (ashe juniper), an overwhelming problem on much Texas land.
I agree with some others here that you might have been a little premature putting cows on it at this point.
Even if cows graze through it, they'll come up with eye injuries from poking themselves on its stiff stems and branches.
I've dealt with it, too. Broomweed will usually move into an unmaintained pasture around here. The stems are like dowel rods. Right now, I would suggest shredding it short. Then wait a month or two and spray with 2,4-d for winter weeds, because you might get hit by plaintain this winter. Next spring, watch for the young broomweed coming up. Note that young broomweed looks totally different from the mature plant you're seeing now. In its young phase, it's a single vertical stalk coming up, with 2" straight leaves curling out from it. At that point, especially if it's under 6 inches, it's very susceptible to 2,4-d. I'd go pretty heavy at 1.5 to 2 quarts per acre, with a surfactant.
You might need to do a second spraying in late May, to get what the first spraying missed. Beyond that, you'll have to just wait for the spring rains, if any, to bring up whatever grass is there. I nailed the broomweed and ragweed this spring, so I'm keeping cows off my pasture this year, letting the native grass thicken out (which it's doing very nicely) and go to seed. Then after it seeds out, I'll cut it down and repeat the spray schedule described above. I'm tentatively planning to start grazing it again next spring around May or June.
Watch that mesquite, it will consume your land. Spray the trunks up about 24" with a 25/75 Remedy/diesel mix and that will kill them. You didn't mention anything about cedar (ashe juniper), an overwhelming problem on much Texas land.
I agree with some others here that you might have been a little premature putting cows on it at this point.
greybeard
Well-known member
Since you mentioned mesquite, I take it you aren't anywhere in East Texas. It's been my experience, that mowing this late will clean the land up, but will just add to nature's job of scattering seed, but If you can wait till the weeds are dry enough, burn this fall--IF you can do so safely. The fire will get rid of the weeds and a lot of the seeds if you time it right. When I first began burning here, I called Texas Forest Service and they said they would bring out a dozer to be on standby, but after they came and looked at it and saw all the bare ground around my brush, they said I was good to go--just call them a day ahead of my burn day to let them know, and to notify the local VFD, National Forest folks, and sheriff's dept as well. When I called the Texas Forest Service the day before my burn, they put me on hold while they checked the weather forecast for wind and then told me to go ahead and light it all up.
Depending on what kind of soil you havem, that burn may do your pasture some good as well, as far as the nutrients go.
Depending on what kind of soil you havem, that burn may do your pasture some good as well, as far as the nutrients go.
bird dog
Well-known member
This is a good time of the year to treat the mesquites so I would make that my priority but you will have to leave them standing for at least a year. You may have to supplement the cows with a tub or two but I would think 6 cows should be able to find enough grass on 120 acres. You might go ahead and and shred what you can. There maybe some rye grass to come up in the early spring.
Thanks for the ideas, since Im under high lines I will avoid burning, dont like the idea of being blamed for the great texas blackout of 2012. After a day of strategizing I'm thinking that I will spray asap and then again in spring. Then spend the fall spraying mesquites.
Im located 30 miles south of Dallas.
This lime and fertlize method has me intrigued. More research will be done.
Im located 30 miles south of Dallas.
This lime and fertlize method has me intrigued. More research will be done.
cowboy43
Well-known member
Renting 100 acres with 6 cows and spending more for improvements. Are you doing this as a hobby or do you want to make a profit? Do you have a long term lease or year to year lease ?
Long term, 6 is just for the winter and a weak pasture. Already have another 9 under contract for the spring and two bulls. This will max out the land (1 to 10) and then some so now Im hunting for more land again for the spring. Herd goal is 100 paid for cows in 5 years.
James T
Well-known member
Flying O, I would write off doing anything much right now and just spread annual rye to get your cows through winter. TSC carries some that will work or you could go the TAMU rye route. Either will work. And then come Spring, go after the weeds and brush. Figure on feeding out some hay while you do this in the Spring
James T
Well-known member
banekar":126wnhav said:
Early morning or late evening, apply a mix of Remedy w/ diesel. Spraying might work but your better off literally painting the bottom 5-6 inches of the trunk using the mix. Check with Novatech who is pretty much an expert at this.
James T":jovloo8m said:
Recommended practice is spraying at least the lower 24 inches. Never heard of painting it, but that would probably work, you just have to have complete coverage. Use a coarse spray that soaks it to the point of runoff, get the whole trunk all the way around and all the way to the ground. Remedy/diesel, 25/75 respectively. In fact, on smaller trees with trunks under about 3", you can use 20/80. Don't do it right after a rain or in the spring.
Incidentally this concoction will also kill prickly pear cactus, but it's critically important to spray the entire cactus - all the leaves, both sides, down to the ground. Kinda hard to do with big patches, but with the smaller patches it will kill it deader than dead.
