West Central Alberta Coldest, wettest edge | Not sure if it is an option in your hayfield, but apparently sheep and goats will eat thistles and eventually kills them. I've also seen studies where cows were trained/forced to eat thistles and they control them. They have very good feed value.
What I have done with patches in new hayfeilds as you describe, is cut before they flower, then bale the thistle patches separately, and feed it to my own cows, although they still don't eat them, but at least it doesn't contaminate every bale that way. |
How do you get rid of Canadian thistle without using herbicide
