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The official newsletter of Horses for Clean Water, http://www.horsesforcleanwater.com
Message from Alayne: It Just IsLiz Clark recently loaned me a thoughtful book by Mark Rashid called Life Lessons from a Ranch Horse, which I have appreciated reading. In it the author recants a little parable that I found interesting and thought I’d share this month. It goes something like this:
What I like about this story is it reminds me to take responsibility for my life and put an end to turning much over to chance. Life happens; some of it is good, some is wonderful and much of it isn’t so wonderful. But categorizing and lumping it into “good” and “bad” usually won’t help solve problems. What it takes is accepting things as the old man does and moving ahead as best as we can. I am sure many of us can see similarities in this story with our lives. For me I see it in my horse adventures, the ups and the downs. Sometimes we win a reining class, most times we don’t. Sometimes a horse gets sick; some days they have amazing recoveries. It’s not good luck or bad. It just is. Have something to share with Alayne?
Controlling Weeds with Goats and Sheepby Craig Madsen, Healing Hooves, LLC, Edwall, WA
When it comes to controlling weeds, most of us think of hand pulling, herbicides, mowing, etc. But if you’re looking for natural, non-toxic ways to control weeds you may be surprised to find out that goats and sheep can be a useful part of your weed management strategy. Used alone, goats and sheep will not prove to be the silver bullet for weeds, but they can be a great addition to your weed control toolbox. I feel that the best approach to controlling weeds is an integrated approach, one that uses all of the tools in the toolbox that are applicable to your situation. Selecting the best weed management methods requires you to have a good understanding of your specific situation and desired outcomes. To gain a better understanding of your situation, consider the following:
Weed Management with Goats and SheepLivestock like goats and sheep can help to control weeds but you need to have a basic understanding of the management needs and grazing preferences of different animals. Knowing the weed you want to control will greatly help you in choosing the best type of animal for the job. Correctly timed grazing is critical; grazing should be timed when target plants are most susceptible and palatable and the length of the grazing period needs to be monitored to have the most impact on the target plants (weeds) and the least impact on non-target plants (e.g., pasture grass). Grazing Preference and Behavior.Foraging behavior varies with site conditions, stocking rates, and grazing duration. In general:
People often consider broadleaf and woody plants to be weeds. Weedy plants that goats can be used to manage include:
When you are planning to use animals for weed control, it is important to understand that some plants have toxic properties that can impact the animals. Grazing TimingTime grazing when weeds are the most palatable, and the desirable plants (e.g., pasture grass) the least palatable, to your particular type of animal. Palatability depends on plant species. For example, goats and sheep like leafy spurge, so time of grazing is not as crucial. Goats and sheep will select leafy spurge over grass, and most shrubs, at all growth stages. On the other hand, the palatability of Dalmatian toadflax declines during the season, for the first treatment the best time is prior to the plant sending up its seedstalk. The second treatment would be timed after the grass forms seed and is therefore less palatable. Goats remove the flowers from the Dalmatian toadflax and leave bare stalks, while any grazing on the grass will have limited impact since the grass already completed the majority of its growth cycle. Timing and management of grazing is important — low management levels or improper grazing timing can lead to negative impacts such as a reduction in desirable plants and increase in soil erosion. Properly managed grazing of goats and sheep will effectively defoliate weeds, resulting in reduced seed production and root growth. Defoliation also lowers survivability and weakens root systems through reduced nutrient storage. It may take up to three or four years to see significant changes in the number of weeds. However, short-term goals, such as reducing viable seed production and reducing root reserves, can be achieved in one season. As a rule, control requires repeated grazing treatments. Many perennials require at least two grazing rotations per year, for 2- 4 years. A third grazing rotation may be needed depending on growing conditions. Some plants send out new shoots from the base of the plant the first year after being grazed. If you remove this regrowth through grazing, you can maintain stress on the plant, whereas leaving the regrowth results in new shoots that produce more seed (and therefore more plants). It is important to remember that perennial plants frequently produce more stems in response to being cut (grazing), as the plant attempts to replenish root reserves. It is essential to remember that you reduce plant numbers only through multiple years of grazing. ReseedingWhile you manage grazing to reduce the spread of weeds, it is also important to consider how to establish desired vegetation. Removing undesirable plants and allowing desirable plants to produce seed increases the numbers and vigor of the desirable plants due to their competitive edge. In situations where there are inadequate desirable plants, failing to reseed desirable plants allows nearby invasive and undesirable weeds to fill the void. Animal grazing directly promotes establishment of desirable seedlings in several ways: by reducing unwanted vegetation such as blackberries, by creating a firm seedbed through hoof action, by knocking seeds and stems onto the ground and tamping the seeds into the soil (thus promoting good soil to seed contact necessary for germination), by increasing litter cover, and by providing fertilizer in the form of animal manure and urine. For more information about reseeding, you may want to refer to the Washington State University publication, Pasture and Hayland Renovation in Western Washington (EB1870). SummaryA firm understanding of the interaction between plants, goats, and sheep helps you determine the grazing system that best controls undesirable plants while promoting the growth of desirable plants. By selecting animals that will graze undesirable plants, you enable the desirable plants to better utilize site resources. Multiple years of well managed grazing will improve your site through vegetation selection and enhancement. In order to do this, you must first understand your site, develop goals, and develop a detailed plan on how to reach those goals. That plan should include an inventory of your land, available tools, past and current management, monitoring, and evaluation. For more information about managing weeds with livestock in your area, contact your local extension or NRCS. About Healing HoovesHealing Hooves is owned by Craig and Sue Lani-Madsen. Craig brings 15 years of range and pasture management experience to their business that specializes in managing vegetation through the use of goats. Sue Lani works on marketing and financial management. Healing Hooves has 150 head of goats available for vegetation management projects. In most cases all of the goats come on a project. The minimum number of days we like to stay at one site is 5 days which is translates to 3-5 acres depending on the amount of vegetation that needs to be removed. Please contact us for pricing information. Craig also provides consulting services in pasture and rangeland management. He will assist individuals who want to control weeds on their own property with their own self-propelled weed eaters. For comments, questions, or additional information on their services, contact Craig at: Healing Hooves, LLC, P.O. Box 148, Edwall, WA 99008. Call 509-990-7132 or e-mail or visit their web site. Farm Focus: Blickle-Livengood FarmWednesday, June 29th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Take time this summer to learn about new updates in horse farm management. Visit the working horse farm belonging to the director of Horses for Clean Water, Alayne Blickle, and her husband Matt Livengood. In addition to running an environmentally friendly horse farm, Alayne and Matt ride and show reining horses. Five acres is set up for six horses with grassy pastures, mudless paddocks, composting areas, barn, shelters, and two riding arenas. We will focus this tour on new ideas and information in the horse farm management world. Visit with product dealers and see demonstrations of new techniques and materials. This event will feature:
This is the first tour in several years at Alayne’s place — join us for a special event! Farm tours are guided educational events open to everyone — you don’t need to own horses or land to participate! To register and receive a map contact the King Conservation District at 425-277-5581x125 or e-mail.
Educational EventsMeet HCW Staff at these upcoming events this summer. Visit the Educational Events page for detailed class descriptions.
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If you have any questions or would like to submit an article for publication in The Green Horse, please e-mail info@horsesforcleanwater.com. |
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