Weeds

Can you reduce Oxeye Daisy with grazing management? This rancher decided to figure out if he could train his cows while out on range. Here he describes his training efforts and the results. If you’re working in a large pasture, these tips will help.

If you raise crops followed by cover crops for grazing livestock, or if you’re considering turning cropland into pastureland, this is important information for you! Don’t let the wrong herbicide keep you from grazing!

When I started teaching cows to eat weeds, I thought everyone would see what I saw:  an economical alternative for weed management.  If cows or other livestock eat weeds, you don’t have to spend money on herbicide or buy fuel for spray rigs or mowers.  You don’t have to rent goats (sorry goat producers).  And […]

Spring is coming, even if you can’t see it under the snow. And you’ll know that it really is here when you see something in your pastures that we grew up fearing: WEEDS. But don’t worry. Be happy! Weeds are good for you and for your livestock! So don’t spray them, burn, them pull them or harm them. Treat […]

Would you like a short visit to summer in the middle of winter? Would you like to meet soil ranchers Allen Williams, Gabe Brown and Neil Dennis? You can with this video.  Great for your next lunch break, here’s 12 minutes in summer pastures, filmed so vibrantly you’ll see grasshoppers jumping in slow motion and almost feel the […]

If cows in Louisiana can eat Horsenettle, why not your herd. Here’s what you need to know about the plant with links ot how to train your own cows.

Trying out a new technique may make you money. Or it might just cost a bundle. Here’s how you can figure out the answers to all your pasture questions – on your own pasture. And it’s just in time to help you if you’re thinking of getting a SARE grant to cover the costs!

Here’s a great, new resource to find out if your weed is a potentially valuable forage, or if it’s something that should be avoided.

Do you have these? Here’s how to tell!

Yes, you can use equipment, herbicides and fertilizers to reduce your weeds and increase your grasses in pasture. But is it really cost-effective? Just a thought – maybe if your livestock ate nutritious weeds, everyone’s life would be easier.

You can make headway and it’s not that hard. Go for it!

Though you may not have the same grass species described in this article, you’re sure to get some information about how grazing affects plant rooting depth, shading, and nutrient distribution and some good ideas about how to manage your grazing to get the results you’d like.

Those aren’t “weeds” you’re seeing. That’s great alternative forage! So why not take advantage of it this spring. It’s even on sale.

Here’s where you can post your questions about training livestock to eat weeds.  This is a great place to come if you’re just getting started or you’re in the middle of your own training and you’re not sure that things are going right. I’ll get you going with answers to a couple questions I frequently […]

Contrary to what you’ve been told, leafy spurge does not cause harm to cattle, and with a little training, they can and will eat it. So why not turn that pest into forage? Here Kathy shares what she’s learned about getting cattle to eat leafy spurge over her decade of teaching cows to eat weeds.