jodief100
True BYH Addict
Never noticed any before, this weekend I saw it along at the field edges and along the creek as I drove into town.
Johnson Grass
- Thread starter ladyfarmer10
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It's fine when it's growing, and it's fine if it's cut and dried properly for hay..mercedes said:
But when it's wilty, like after a frost...or if it's been trampled and is dying...or if it's been sprayed with something to kill it out and is beginning to wilt....it's poisonous.
HERDMASTER and LADYFarmer ; The Johnsongrass was probably feeding off your corn firtalizer !! It makes excellent baled hay , huge tonnage , I allow it to mix with my Alfalfa !! as dry feed (baled) it won't hurt anything !!! It thrives on hot summers . Note the only time it's harmfull , To my knowledge is very young and with frostbite , It can be Poisonous . No time for pasture anyway ........ , ALANB.ladyfarmer10 said:
SDGsoap&dairy
Loving the herd life
I'm reviving this thread because I have a round bale full of johnson grass (in fact, the hay dealer told me as much and raved about the protein content) and I've only just realized it's a potential problem. I'd just started feeding from this particular bale and they love it! I decided to do some reading on johnson grass before I have another couple round bales delivered Monday and discovered the potential for prussic acid and nitrate toxicity.
It seems that the prussic acid is not much of a concern for cured hay, but the potential for nitrate poisoning remains apparently for months after baling. Does anyone here feed hay with a high percentage of johnson grass?
I'm not much of a risk-taker, but feeding from the round bales and supplementing with good alfalfa hay has been kind to my pocket book and they're all in great condition. Unfortunately the ONLY round bales I've found in the area (and can have delivered) are fescue, fescue/bermuda blend (still almost entirely fescue...), and the johnson grass/orchard grass/bermuda blend. Feeding fescue opens up another bag of worms and most of it ends up as bedding since the little buggers don't really like it anyway.
It seems that the prussic acid is not much of a concern for cured hay, but the potential for nitrate poisoning remains apparently for months after baling. Does anyone here feed hay with a high percentage of johnson grass?
I'm not much of a risk-taker, but feeding from the round bales and supplementing with good alfalfa hay has been kind to my pocket book and they're all in great condition. Unfortunately the ONLY round bales I've found in the area (and can have delivered) are fescue, fescue/bermuda blend (still almost entirely fescue...), and the johnson grass/orchard grass/bermuda blend. Feeding fescue opens up another bag of worms and most of it ends up as bedding since the little buggers don't really like it anyway.
I have been feeding coastel bermuda/johnson grass hay to my horses for many years without any problems.only had goats for a few years now,but they have been devouering it alongside the horse without any ill effects.I think straight johnson grass hay is a little too coarse,but that is just my personal opinion.Here in texas you would be hard pressed to find any hay without at least a trace of johnson grass.I always thought johnson grass was a good thing 
maybe it's a southern thing.
maybe it's a southern thing.patandchickens
Overrun with beasties
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IMO it mainly boils down to how much you believe in your hay guy (the one that cut and baled it, not some middleman, I mean). There are all various hays that can be problematic if not done knowledgeably -- johnsongrass, clover, alfalfa, etc -- but are typically fine when done right.
The big thing re: nitrates is to not have cut/baled the hay when it is growing super fast and lush, and if it's borderline don't feed it right away.
I suppose it's possible that you could get a sample tested if you are really feeling paranoid about it, I have never really thought about having hay tested for nitrates specifically but it's possible labs do it, I dunno.
Really though I'd say that if it's from a GOOD hay producer you should be fine.
JMHO,
Pat
The big thing re: nitrates is to not have cut/baled the hay when it is growing super fast and lush, and if it's borderline don't feed it right away.
I suppose it's possible that you could get a sample tested if you are really feeling paranoid about it, I have never really thought about having hay tested for nitrates specifically but it's possible labs do it, I dunno.
Really though I'd say that if it's from a GOOD hay producer you should be fine.
JMHO,
Pat
SDGsoap&dairy
Loving the herd life
Thanks! No middleman, he's the source. I'll ask him about it and see if he's knowledgeable enough for me to feel comfortable feeding it. He's been helpful so far and not at all sketchy about discussing exactly what's in it, he just doesn't know much about goats. It's been pretty dry in the latter part of this summer and fall, so I'll have to ask him about the lush growth.
The bale we're on now I'm seeing has a good amount of orchard grass in it and they ALWAYS head for that first (unless there's alfalfa.
) The johnson grass is pretty coarse, but they don't seem to mind that the way they have a distaste for stemmy fescue.
The bale we're on now I'm seeing has a good amount of orchard grass in it and they ALWAYS head for that first (unless there's alfalfa.
) The johnson grass is pretty coarse, but they don't seem to mind that the way they have a distaste for stemmy fescue.Greendecember
Chillin' with the herd
We just bought our place in September and I am still trying to figure out what all is growing here. Yesterday I saw some Johnson grass in our front paddock and thought the goats would LOVE that it is dried but still leaffy. I am glad I read this though. It will soon be met in vigor with a shovel along with the poke bushes and all the other bad stuff that grows wild in Oklahoma. *sigh* I have a LOT of digging to do. lol. Now to decide if I want to make war on one kind of weed each year or one acre of land at a time. We have 5. I think I will knock out the big nasties as I see them and concentrate on one acre at a time!
