Weed pressure in grazed pastures has increased in recent years due to many factors that include overgrazing, low fertility, and a lack of grazing management.  Many annual weeds can be controlled with an early spring herbicide application.  But many perennial weeds require a different timing of herbicide application to be effective.  

The Bracken County Extension Service along with a local producer set up a demonstration dividing a pasture that had a high population of tall iron weed and treated it with an Aminopyralid herbicide following mid summer clipping with vegetative regrowth.  This allowed the herbicide to translocate throughout the plants stem and roots as it was in a weakened state and setting up for fall dormancy.   

The producer was informed of the issues with this type of herbicide related to hay removed from the treated field and or manure from animals that eat forage from this field.  It can carry the herbicide through hay or manure.  

A demonstration workshop is planned for later this summer to show the results of the treatment and to educate producers on the use of these herbicides along with improved forage yields by eliminating weed competition.  

Special thanks to Maysville Southern States for their assistance with the spray application.