Thistle's in hay.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 17, 2013

Started to cut some hay today, still first crop, and where the alfalfa winter killed, some thistles are growing up. Question, will they give fatting cattle sore mouths? We round bale it and then grind them and it is mixed with silage, corn and protein. Just don't want a lot of sore mouth cattle. Thanks, Harold

DeltaRed · Jun 17, 2013

Ive never known thistle to hurt livestock.What IS bad is FOXTAIL.That stuff is epidemic here.Even if you get it killed off,you get a new crop of seed every time you open the headgate....

retired farmer · Jun 17, 2013

You should see what I feed the boss's cows.

Mike (WA) · Jun 17, 2013

Thistle is OK- some guys even make silage out of it. Cattle are very good at sorting out what they don't want to eat- but they usually eat the thistles.

sd pete · Jun 17, 2013

We sell the thistles to Iowa. Some end up in Texas also.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 17, 2013

Foxtail makes excellent hay if you cut it just before it heads. Had a field of it several year's ago. Livestock loved it. Sold all my extra to a neighbor and he wanted more.

Traditional Farmer · Jun 18, 2013

Once thistles are dry cattle love them

Bruce from Can. · Jun 18, 2013

Don't give it a second thought.

Texasmark1 · Jun 18, 2013

+1...........If they can eat overgrown sudan/sorghum, maize, and corn stalks, which they do with no problems, thistles are a walk in the park, and as stated they love them along with buttercups, indian paintbrush and a lot of other vegetation some refer to as weeds.

Mark

HCooke · Jun 18, 2013

Turkey and deer like foxtail also.

johndeerefan · Jun 19, 2013

Worst part with thistles is if you feed hay with them in it, then your entire pasture will eventually have them. Between them growing where you fed the hay and then the cattle passing the seed through, it will keep you busy fighting them off.

I never had a thistle until I baled hay 15 miles away that had it and fed it to the cattle. Now I have to spray every year just to keep them in check.

T in NE · Jun 20, 2013

Article in last week's Western Livestock Journal said that with a week's training, you can have cattle eating every weed you have on the place. And it was a pretty simple- and quick-regimen.

Thistle's in hay.

Anonymous-0

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DeltaRed

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retired farmer

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Mike (WA)

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sd pete

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Anonymous-0

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Traditional Farmer

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