*This is an excerpt from Beef Cattle Management in Uncertain Times
In this video, David Russell, an Alabama Extension weed scientist, discusses topics related to spring weed management in pastures and hayfields. These topics include integrated pest management, spring transition across forage systems, control options, and weed management resources.
One of the foundational, and likely most economical, components of weed management for forage and livestock production is the cultural practice of rotational grazing and maintaining a healthy forage stand. Competition from standing forage is usually the first and most important line of defense against encroaching weed pressure. Combining this practice with chemical and mechanical control methods can help suppress troublesome weed species throughout the year.
Thistles are a common and very prominent weed problem throughout Alabama, especially in spring pastures. Their aggressive and spiny growth shades out grasses and clovers and deters cattle from grazing infested areas. If left unchecked, this persistent weed may quickly overtake a pasture with its wind-dispersed seed.
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