To spray or not to spray silage ground for buttercups etc??

Bodacious

I was if i get a dry day in the next week :mad:going to spray off recently closed off silage ground with MCPA for butter cups/ flowers and small area of soft rushes.

Question is will this dying material be unpalatable in the bales? And do ye think it will hit yield much as fair percentage various flowers that once killed may not be replaced? Should i leave it? My plan was to remove flowers/soft rushes area and chain harrow and over seed with more perennial rye grasses after cut of silage?

Thanks

kay 9

Hi, do ya mind me asking why you want to rid of buttercups?

Bodacious

kay 9 wrote: »

Hi, do ya mind me asking why you want to rid of buttercups?

The cows never seem to eat them and they the only plant left standing after strip grazing! that been said i never seem to remember them being left behind in the round feeder when i took haylage off of this meadow 2 years ago:D

aristo

Buttercups/marigold go somewhat toxic and poisonous after spraying, spraying them will add more toxins to the pit.

reilig

I wouldn't spray buttercups alone. If there is a lot of rushes on it, I might chance it - if the meadow wasn't too high. If you spray the buttercups, you'll end up killing everything that isn't grass including crowfoot, sprat etc all of which are very palatable in hay or silage. And then you will end up with nothing but tall grass and a lighter crop.

Bodacious

Cheers Reilig,

thats my mind made up
I'll leave well enough alone until I take the cut of haylage off of it!

Thanks again

bogman_bass

Once buttercup gets a wilt it becomnes palatable so I think thats the best plan