What do you use to kill weeds? (in pasture)

[h2t99]

My husband wants to spray roundup

and I won't let him, so what does everyone use to kill weeds in their pasture?? It has to be safe around water, part of pasture floods when we get heavy rain and runs into our springs and creek. I would like to try something organic. Also it is a hugh pasture, but he just wants to spray the large clumps of flowering weeds and he is willing to walk and spray each one

!!

Thanks for any input!!

Heidi

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I too would like to know what to do about those pesky weeds -- some of them are taller than my minis! 

I just can't seem to get rid of them!!!

 

[Miniv]

Roundup is probably one of if not the safest chemical weed killer to use around animals. Once it is either soaked in or evaporated, you can turn your animals back out.

It only takes a few hours to have the Roundup soaked in or evaporated........but many people wait 24 hours, just to be safe.

 

[Al B]

Grazon but you will need a license to buy it.

 

[cretahillsgal]

Around here I use 2,4-D or 2,4-D based chemicals like the Grazon mentioned above. They will kill the weeds but not the grass. My uncles raise cattle and spray their pastures with a mixture of 2,4-D and Ally (generic name MSM60) It works good and has never hurt their cattle or horses.

2,4-D is actually a growth stimulant that makes the plant grow so fast that it causes the cells to rupture thus causing the plant to die. It has to be applied when the plant is "growing" not just green to work its best.

Roundup products (generic name Glyphosate) is probably the safest chemical that you could use. But it will kill the grass too.

The thing with these chemicals (especially roundup) is that once it is dry or absorbed into the ground it is neutral to animals.

I know alot of people don't like to use these chemicals, but my family and almost all of the surrounding families have used them for many years without one single problem. Even my vet who is a breeder. She says it is better to spray and be rid of a harmful weed.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Thanks everybody, I needed an answer to that one too. I did do a section of round-up last year and roped it off with electric tape for a week, the boys still wanted to snoop and lick around it like it was tasty when I took the tape down, and I was so worried about residue, that I roped it off for another week. Has anybody had their horses act like they wanted to eat the weeds you sprayed before they died off completely? This past week I had one of my boys get a nasty skin irritation on his muzzle from trying to graze around those weeds this summer and they need spraying again.

 

[MyBarakah]

The easiest way with out using chemicals is to have the pasture mowed. That will get allot of the weeds. I have my step-dad come in with his tractor & shredder and he mows it all..... it also looks very nice too!

 

[Genie]

We mow our pasture, often.

An old book from my Dad's Library (Dad was born in 1898) says "the mower is your pastures' friend"

 

[lilmiraclesfarm]

Goats.. I have 3 and you would be surprise at how good of a job they do picking those weeds out. Only7 problem is I have electric fence so they can't stay out all day without supervision. Other than that we just weed wacker it or mow the field.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Do not let a late preggers mare onto fresh Roundup, they will abort.

If I have to use Roundup, I let it sit for several days, all dies and I water it VERY well after that, if we have not had a really, really good rain.

I used 2,4D Spring and sometimes in spots in the Fall. My procedure is to keep everyone off of it for at least 5 days and until a really good rain. So, I try to PLAN this via a weekly forcast, then pray it does rain

Mowing works well but, I don't always have the time for all of the fields. Plus, if it isn't raining here, the grass isn't growing but the weeds are. Soooo, plan 2 begins....spray.

Yes, my 5 big goats were THE BEST!!!!! The would run to the weeds in a "new" field. But they were almost the size of my minis and decided they wanted to sleep in the feed troughs.

 

[Loess Hills]

We sprayed Roundup on a portion of one of our pastures and cleaned out some trees intending to create a dry lot run for one of the stallions. After several weeks and severals rains we were beginning to fence.

Just as a thought, my husband called the 800 number on the Roundup container for further information. We were Shocked to hear them say that NO livestock should be grazing that area or even on it for a year. Yes, that is 12 months from the date sprayed. Needless to say, our plans have changed for this particular dry lot.

So, don't use any chemicals where you want horses grazing without checking with the manufacterer about the long-term effects of the chemical.

 

[lovinglife]

I am new here only posted a couple of times but I had the same question a few weeks ago. After alot of research and goats that ate my grass instead of weeds

, I used Pasture Pro from a local feed store. It says animals that are non lactating can graze on the same day! I was still hesitant so what I did was put it on one of my fields and made sure I waited aleast 2 good rains and before I let horses graze on it.. (just incase). Also for precaution mowed the dead tall weeds before I turned them out. I know alot of people don't like chemical including me but our weeds was over taking all grass and with 10 acres couldn't pull every weed by hand. Our minis were fine and weeds are gone.

A guy at the local feed store says he has two minis and he uses it every spring and turns them out the same day.