Johnson Grass

[ladyfarmer10]

Will it hurt goats to eat johnson grass?

 

[cmjust0]

It can, absolutely. Most folks consider it to be most dangerous right after a frost, but what I've read indicates that if it gets wilty at all -- for whatever reason -- it's very much akin to the goat eating wilted cherry leaves.

I'd try hard to rid myself of it if I had it in my goat pens.

EDIT: I have it on my place, btw.. It choked out all my early sunglow sweetcorn this year...damned johnsongrass got so big in that patch that it actually LOOKED like corn.

 

[DonnaBelle]

My husband declares WAR on Johnson Grass. It is an evil weed that will choke out native grasses, etc.

He has sprayed it since we bought the ranch, and is having some success.

STOMP OUT JOHNSON GRASS!!

Donna on the Oklahoma Prairie.........

 

[aggieterpkatie]

It's required by law to control Johnsongrass around here (MD). It's one of our state's listed noxious weeds.

It's a really great forage under the right conditions! Under the wrong conditions:

Johnsongrass is on the noxious weed list in several U.S. states (including Oklahoma) and has even made the list of the 10 most noxious weeds in the world. Johnsongrass can accumulate nitrates during the summer if exposed to several dry, cloudy days in a row. It can also produce prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) after stressful conditions such as drought, freezing weather or exposure to a herbicide that kills grasses. If your johnsongrass is subjected to any of these conditions, keep cattle away for about a week to allow the prussic acid to dissipate.

Link

 

[ladyfarmer10]

Thanks everyone,I only have a small patch-not in the goat pasture,so I will be digging it up.

 

[murtaugh]

Johnson Grass can cause bloat in goats....bad stuff killed my first goat when I was a kid

 

[treeclimber233]

What does Johnson grass look like?

 

[cmjust0]

It gets tall...like, corn tall...over-your-head tall.

You see it in roadside ditches, overgrown fields...my vegetable garden...yanno, places that aren't regularly maintained.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

http://www.ksda.gov/includes/images/plant_protection/Noxious Weeds/Johnsongrass_3D54.jpg

It gets tall...like, corn tall...over-your-head tall.

You see it in roadside ditches, overgrown fields...my vegetable garden...yanno, places that aren't regularly maintained.

It's really easy to spot. We're always on the lookout for noxious weeds for work, so now I always notice it. I'll be driving down the road and making note of every stupid Johnsongrass plant I see.

 

[cmjust0]

http://www.ksda.gov/includes/images/plant_protection/Noxious Weeds/Johnsongrass_3D54.jpg

It gets tall...like, corn tall...over-your-head tall.

You see it in roadside ditches, overgrown fields...my vegetable garden...yanno, places that aren't regularly maintained.

It's really easy to spot. We're always on the lookout for noxious weeds for work, so now I always notice it. I'll be driving down the road and making note of every stupid Johnsongrass plant I see.

Ever since this thread started, I've been doing the same thing..