# Tordon on ditch hay kills soybeans



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Stopped by a feedlot today that was asking about hay.He had been buying cheap grass hay a.k.a. ditch hay.Well it turns out it is going to cost him 20 acres of soybeans.The county highway dept had sprayed the ditch with Tordon,it was baled sold to feedlot.Most of the manure was spread on ground going to corn but he spread 20 ac going to beans.They are all but dead ,you can see the spread patern.This was checked by seed &chem co's because he didn't know what was wrong with them.

I've seen this before around here but not on this many acres.It is quite amazing that the chemical can kill beans after getting ground and mixed in a ration and still kill the beans in the field.

That cheap hay just became mighty expensive.


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## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

Well I had a filed with massive knappweed infestation and wanted to use a product with a long residual like the Dow chemicals like Tordan, Milestone, or Forefront but I did not want that stuff killing my alfalfa by spreading manure or killing legumes in my pasture where bales were fed. I choose 2 4 D Ester instead.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Wow, whats something like that do to the cows? Sure can't be good for em.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

mlappin said:


> Wow, whats something like that do to the cows? Sure can't be good for em.


Did not seem to affect the cattle.I was curiuos also so looked up the label.It can be grazed,I didn't see anything about haying.It says not to put cattle that have been grazing it on another pasture were you have legumes for 7 days.It passes threw their urine and can kill legumes were ever they decide to go.It also says not to use manure for compost,I suppose a cattle feedyard is a big compost pile.It says it will kill legumes for 2 yrs.I've heard were guys used it on fencelines for yrs and then tore the fencline out and planted it and no soybeans would grow for over 10 yrs.

Have another nieghbor who baled his ditch and used it for bedding in a hoop barn/hogs.Spread manure at a angle and had dead strips across his bean field.I think it was ok 2 yrs later when he had beans in it again.


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## UpNorth (Jun 15, 2009)

I just spoke with a UW Weed Extension specialist about Milestone today at WI Farm Technology Days. Grass hay sprayed with Milestone won't affect the cows, but the manure will affect broadleaves if they are planted in the field where the manure is applied. How long the affect lasts in the fields varies, but one application shouldn't last more than about 12 months. As always the label is the law so read carefully. If I can find an extension bulletin about this I'll put the link in another reply


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