# Mixed Grass, Foxtail and Horse Nettle Reality Check



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

I've got a field of Timothy mixed grass. Walking it today, there are some patches of foxtail and a few pieces of horse nettle.

At what point do you disqualify your hay for horse consumption due to the presence of foxtail and horse nettle? How much of it is to much?

There is some decent grass in is this field, along with some stemmy purple top coming up. It is otherwise weed free. I hate to just bush hog it down. Maybe cow hay? Goats? Can they tolerate that stuff?

What's your limit on baling squares where there is potential for foxtail and a bit of horse nettle? If anyone has a pic they could post of a field "over-run" with foxtail, I'd like to see it for reference.

Thanks!
Bill

PS - this post is on multiple forums for a broad audience - thx!


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

I don't decide until I see what it looks like in the bale.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

8350HiTech said:


> I don't decide until I see what it looks like in the bale.


 I hay jockie told me one time that's his biggest fear of round bales. I remember he said and I'll quote the round bale has the ability to mask the weedeness of the field.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Appropriate mowing can help control both. I cleaned up one field of OG by mowing the foxtail just as it was starting to head out. Foxtail can make OK hay IF it hasn't gone to seed. But this may/may not work on your field.

Spray the horse nettle with 2-4D/dicamba/triclopyr mix (carefully). It's necessary to kill the roots, otherwise it'll come back next year. Spraying with 2-4D only in early summer can sometimes get ahead of it. But, it's a tough one. BTW. get it before it develops the berries.

Hope this helps

Ralph


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

The horses won't eat the horse nettle and unless you have a ton of it it disappears. Just write in your farm planner to put grazon on that field next year about 2-3 weeks after first cutting t and don't let go to seed.

With the aim we have had this year virtually all and third cutting is going to have a little foxtail. I am going to try The post emergent spray for crabgrass and foxtail that was discussed in a recent HTforum


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

8350HiTech said:


> I don't decide until I see what it looks like in the bale.


Agree....I don't know how many times I would be less than happy with the way a field looked when mowing or after a shower of rain, but once it was square baled I would have a different opinion.

Regards, Mike


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

let the customer decide if they complain knock off fifty cents a bale.I have always set a price for my good hay and show them something cheaper and the discounted hay always sells first. My regular customers just call and tell me how many and what cutting.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

leeave96 said:


> I've got a field of Timothy mixed grass. Walking it today, there are some patches of foxtail and a few pieces of horse nettle.
> At what point do you disqualify your hay for horse consumption due to the presence of foxtail and horse nettle? How much of it is to much?
> There is some decent grass in is this field, along with some stemmy purple top coming up. It is otherwise weed free. I hate to just bush hog it down. Maybe cow hay? Goats? Can they tolerate that stuff?
> What's your limit on baling squares where there is potential for foxtail and a bit of horse nettle? If anyone has a pic they could post of a field "over-run" with foxtail, I'd like to see it for reference.
> ...


I remember asking the same sort of questions here 4 years ago. 
I guess some guys have "perfect" hay, no weeds, no foxtail. I ain't one of them. If I see a few horse nettle, thistle, or foxtail, I bale it and sell it telling the customer, "it ain't perfect hay, but I'm not asking perfect hay prices, either."
If I have time, I will actually walk the windrows and pull some of it out! 
In regards to foxtail, you need to drop your fields before it heads out. Keeps your hay quality up, customers happier and prevents reseeding. I have some weeds in my "horse hay", but I tell you something else, I've seen stuff I wouldn't feed to coackraoches sold for $8/bale. So I feel like I do a pretty good job.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I'm very reluctant to sell hay that has very many weeds for horse hay......don't want to risk my reputation. A lot depends on what kind of weeds im dealing with as to what my decision is......horsenettle and foxtail are pretty bad. A little foxtail can be tolerated if it has not headed out.....if it's headed out I will not sell it for horse hay. A couple small sprigs of horsenettle here and there aren't a big problem but if it is any more than that it doesn't get sold for horse hay either. The horses probably would not eat much of the horse nettle due to the spines but customers won't like it if they find it when feeding the flakes. If it has too much to be horse hay it should be fine for cows and goats unless it's completely run over with the nettle.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

One never thinks that army worms found in early regrowth grass intended for hay can be a blessing in disguise, but having to spray the whole hay field for army worm control allows us to tank mix Grazonnext with the army worm insecticide and gain control over horse nettle and most other broadleaf weeds in the hay meadow. Expensive, yes. However, seeing a weed-free grass hay field may make it worthwhile.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

JD3430 said:


> I remember asking the same sort of questions here 4 years ago.
> I guess some guys have "perfect" hay, no weeds, no foxtail. I ain't one of them. If I see a few horse nettle, thistle, or foxtail, I bale it and sell it telling the customer, "it ain't perfect hay, but I'm not asking perfect hay prices, either."
> If I have time, I will actually walk the windrows and pull some of it out!
> In regards to foxtail, you need to drop your fields before it heads out. Keeps your hay quality up, customers happier and prevents reseeding. I have some weeds in my "horse hay", but I tell you something else, I've seen stuff I wouldn't feed to coackraoches sold for $8/bale. So I feel like I do a pretty good job.


Perfect hay only exists in the imperfect mind!


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Thanks everyone - I'll be selling this hay as "cow" hay. Of course most of it will be purchased by cheap horse owners.... ????????????


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