Those worthless weeds

[Jogeephus]

Ever wonder if those worthless weeds have any value? Table 4 shows many which might affect you.

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/418/418-150/418-150.html

 

[novatech]

Thanks for posting the article.
Weeds are about all my cattle have been surviving on in the drought we are having.
In the spring the cattle eat tender bloodweed (giant ragweed) like it's candy. Mowing keeps the weeds shooting up new growth which seems to make them more palatable. When the clover is at it's best the cattle will occasionally eat leaves. I always thought they may be after the tannin which aids in preventing bloat.
Never did like mono cultures very much. Cattle need a little diversity in there forage to keep them healthy.

 

[farmwriter]

Thanks for the link Jo. I'm a little confused in their grazing management section, though. They outline 3 grazing scenarios, then only talk about 2 of them? Or did I misread?
And their answer to low palatability is get some goats to eat it? My goodness for what it would cost me to put up all that dang goat-worthy fencing, I can sure get a lot of 24D.
If I misuderstood, can somebody else put the slop down where the hogs can reach it?

 

[Jogeephus]

Farmwriter, I didn't and don't pay much attention to how they performed their experiments unless I'm looking at something other than the results. I doubt either of us will be managing pastures full of weeds but in the land of acadamia they can pull off some neat stuff that you or I could never afford - or want - to do.

Personally, I'm interested in "weeds" because I have so many of them in the woodland areas. With continued increases in costs I find myself searching for an "unfair advantage" that I can use to further reduce my production costs. Seems to me these "weeds" might be useful if I can learn more about them and when to graze them and what not. Here's another list.

http://books.google.com/books?id=1FZOX5 ... q=&f=false

 

[farmwriter]

I got more than a fair share of weeds myself, like you said especially near the wooded areas, but even the LH won't eat some of it - dog fennel, thistle, careless weeds, just off the top of my head. So I was all psyched up reading through, waiting to hear how I'm supposed to get 'em to eat some of that junk, then they say use goats. Dang egg-heads... :dunce:

 

[Jogeephus]

I have a lot of wire grass, muscadine, beauty bush, bluestem, galberry and saw palmetto that can keep them busy for quite some time. I like to watch them work on these and have been trying to expand this type grazing. I figure its good and free grazing so why not integrate some of my grazing in with nature. So far it seems the cows have cleaned the woods pretty good and it seems the quail and turkey population have benefitted as well. Do have to be careful on timing though cause I have a lot of bracken fern.

 

[farmwriter]

So how do you get your cows to eat that stuff, Jo?

 

[Jogeephus]

So how do you get your cows to eat that stuff, Jo?

I don't. It is as simple as allowing them to do so. Cows know what is good and what isn't. They eat for nutritional content. Turn a few cows loose in a vineyard and see if they eat the grass or the grapevines.

 

[blackcowz]

My goodness, they may eat this "giant ragweed", but out here we have Napweed from he!!. It has gotten to the point where this fall (as said in another post) I am ripping up ground and planting anew. Dryland mix of cool and earlier grasses. Anybody have ideas on spray that'll knock out my weeds and spare the young grasses next spring? Cattle hate the stuff and I need to stop it......

 

[2barmcattle]

So how do you get your cows to eat that stuff, Jo?

I don't. It is as simple as allowing them to do so. Cows know what is good and what isn't. They eat for nutritional content. Turn a few cows loose in a vineyard and see if they eat the grass or the grapevines.

I have ALOT of lespedezia and they eat the heck out of it. "Poor mans alfalfa" they call it. Need to mow it pretty quick because they don't like the older, woody growth. :cboy: