When to allow grazing after using Round-Up

[barnbum]

This question has come up now and then here. I needed to know from the horses' mouth, so to speak. I've heard 3 days to 14 days, or after so many rains. I emailed a company and received this answer:

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Grazers such as horses, rabbits, and ducks, should be kept out of areas treated with Roundup until the treated weeds have dried up and are no longer palatable (14-21 days) to the animals. This is especially important for horses, which have sensitive gastrointestinal systems.

If you are uncomfortable with these instructions, which apply to the use of all Roundup residential products, you may want to check with our Agricultural Division at 800-332-3111 and get their recommendation of an agricultural product for use in the horse pasture.

 

[susanne]

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Thanks, Karla. It's good to hear that they are at least that cautious.

I still prefer vinegar whenever possible, and always use it as my first line of weed defense. There are, however, toxic plants that pose a more serious risk to the horses than the chemical. For my big nemesis -- thistles -- vinegar works beautifully. (Love to watch those nasty, beastly thistles shrivel and die -- bwahaha!!)

.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I have always left mine off for 21 days, also with Grazon (which seems a contradiction in terms of the title, but, if you read the small print, it says the same.)

 

[ruffian]

Vinegar? Really? OK ROTTEN THISTLES - HERE I COME!!

 

[Becky]

I would be really, really careful using herbicides around breeding animals. Especially pregnant mares. They can cause dire consequences on developing fetuses. Pay attention to what your neighbors are using, too, along your fencelines!

 

[horsehug]

How do you apply the vinegar to weeds? Do you spray the whole weed or just need a drop, or how? And does it kill all weeds?

Not a very plant oriented or green thumb type here!

But I'd love to be able to use vinegar!

Thanks!

Susan O.

 

[barnbum]

In having a horse with laminitis, I've finally created a dry lot. I researched all the non-chemical ways to get rid of the grass, but it is too big an area to spread papers, plastic, or spray vinegar. So--Round-Up it was. This pasture is the main one, so I used electric tape (8 strands--I don't trust them!) to confine three horses to the inside of the barn and a cement pad--or they were stalled. I had heard to wait three days, my farrier suggested I double whatever I heard. So--today was six days. Last night I spend a good amount of time repositioning the electric tape to give the horses a bit more room. I was still keeping them off an area that had a green tinge; I vinegered that. THEN (bad timing) I researched more about how long to wait... I've never found an answer before. And I found two resources that said 14 days. RATS!! I also emailed the person who sent the info I posted.

So....I once again moved electric tape--but wanted the horses to have a tiny bit more room. But I worried about the 14 day news. I muzzled the three, grabbed a shovel and started turning the dead grass over. Hubby got the idea to get the roto-tiller to stir up the top. Then I could pick all the dead grass up! Whew! Dang--what I do for these horses.

Hubby said he'll roto-till a little more every day so I can get the grass picked up on the other side of the fence so once we pass 14+ days, the pasture will be ready to go.

And--the happy news of the day is Rosie hasn't had Banamine since yesterday morning and she's NOT LIMPING AT ALL!!!

 

[Bess Kelly]

Can tell you that Round-up'd grass can/will cause abortion in preggers mare. Had a farm hand spray near a fence -- although TOLD NOT TO -- two mares ate and I found two aborted foals. Both were within 3 weeks of foaling!!!!!

Of course, I found out that the spraying had happened when I was astonished at finding one foal, then the other within 12 hrs and began to ask WHY??? No one knew but, next day dead grass gave it away. Could have shot the guy!! I was so, so, so angry.

A third mare, not preggers, had some issues with her walking for a day, also.

The product is sometimes only thing that will work for some situations. Just keep the animals far away -- even dogs and cats.

 

[kaykay]

To use the vinegar pull the weed out hopefully with the roots and pour vinegar in the hole. They NEVER come back. Awesome stuff.