# Milkweed munching cows



## Richardin52

I move my cows daily using moveable fences. It only takes about ten minutes and the stocking rate per acre allows me to put more cows on less acres and also get much better pastures.

Someone told me I would see things change for the better once I hit 50,000 lbs or more per acre so I have been giving my cows less and less on their daily moves and watching the condition of the pasture.

Here are some observations.

Right now the cows are in front of the house, if they are happy they are pretty quiet but if they need something and they see me they let me know in no uncertain terms that they are not happy.

I moved the cows this morning. This afternoon I was checking on them and was surprised to see they wanted to be moved already after only about 12 hours. I had been moving them every 24 hrs on that size plot but when I checked sure enough they needed to be moved.

When I was realing up the back fence I noticed the cows had eaten the tops off any milkweed in that plot. I have seen cows eat milkweed in hay and lap it right up but this is the first time I have seen them eat it in the pasture.


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## prairie

Most cattle love milkweed once they try it. There are certain cows in my herd that, when entering a new break, who scour the paddock for milkweed then go to eating grass.
50,000 lbs per acre is the minimum I would recommend, in most cases, to see any major changes.
80,000-100,00 lbs per acre is what I typically achieve on a regular basis.
I really like to see a minimum of 250,000 lbs per acre on my place. Multiple moves per day are not really time consuming, but timing is critical. Don't be late!
We have used well over 1 million lbs per acre with excellent results. This stocking density is mainly used to do some renovation and/or weed control.


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## slowzuki

I've read mature milkweed isn't good for stock, but young shoots from grazing is supposed to be edible even for humans. I've been battling it in my fields for years now, spot spraying with round up has been pretty ineffective even at high rates.


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## prairie

slowzuki said:


> I've read mature milkweed isn't good for stock, but young shoots from grazing is supposed to be edible even for humans. I've been battling it in my fields for years now, spot spraying with round up has been pretty ineffective even at high rates.


There are anti-qualities to almost every plant.
But when consumed in moderation no ill effects are seen.
I do not bother spraying anything unless the cattle won't eat it, or it is "noxious" weed that is hard to controll.
We hand rogue bull thistle, plumeless thistle and musk thistle. The following are spot sprayed with Grazon P & D, or generic equivalant: Knapweed, Canadian thistle, and Leafy Spurge. Canadian thistle is by far my worst "weed", but my cows and the custom grazed cattle will eat it up until the bud stage, and actually relish it at times. Knapweed is not a major problem as the cattle will graze it at immature stages. My row crop neighbors will spay all kinds of "weeds" on the roadsides, but will not spray knapweed even when pointed out to them. on the roadsides they spray pigweed, lambsquarters, milkweed, dock,kochia etc, which are excellent feed, and I welcome in my pasture, and are not a cropland problem, but can't seem to see knapweed on the end of their nose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## slowzuki

I hand pull small patches of milkweed if they are new that year. I can't sell hay with milkweed, horse people will not accept it. Its new to this area, never been in any fields here and once established blankets out all the timothy etc. It will push up through a canopy even. The only thing that slows it down is this smooth bedstraw that is also invading our fields.


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## Richardin52

Update on my milkweed munchers.

After they started eating milweed they seem to not mind eating it. I am seeing more milkweed eaten now even before all the grass in an area has been eaten. Now I just need to get them onto Canada thistle. --- Yum


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## Nitram

When gramps milk cows ate milkweed he would swear (I think as it was in Czech ) Martin


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## Texasmark

Richardin52 said:


> Update on my milkweed munchers.
> 
> After they started eating milweed they seem to not mind eating it. I am seeing more milkweed eaten now even before all the grass in an area has been eaten. Now I just need to get them onto Canada thistle. --- Yum


I have read articles on farm sites that are tiled "How to Teach Your Cows to Eat Weeds. Mine have learned and love them in the spring when they are nice and tender. Have not picked up on MW.

I really have a rant on that stuff. If allowed to go it's way it will take over acreage. I manage it to the stem. Problem is most of my neighbors don't give a .......about heir pasture and MW grows profusely. Guess where the little parachutes go.......

Mark


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