Foxtail control in pastures and hayground

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Shelby Filley

Introduction

Foxtail is a problematic grass in pastures and hayground, and infestations need immediate attention. Small infestations of foxtail should be spot treated, while larger infestations require whole pasture renovation. Existing foxtail plants should be killed with an herbicide. A no-herbicide alternative is repeated tillage and rest during summer heat. And, since there are foxtail seeds in the soil, those need to be dealt with as well. Finally, the foxtail needs to be replaced by a strong stand of competitive grass and clover.

A suggested treatment regimen for treating foxtail includes soil testing and fertilizing, herbicide treatments, working the ground, reseeding to a desirable species, proper grazing management, and monitoring for success.

Treatment Regimen

Soil Fertility

Make sure your field’s fertilizer program is correct so that desirable forages have proper growing conditions. Otherwise, weeds may continue to dominate your field. Be ready to make any adjustments to fertility while you are working the ground during your foxtail kill. Soil amendments are more effective if worked into the soil compared to the topdressing method. Take a soil sample and have it analyzed at a certified lab for pH (acidity) and fertilizer levels (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and boron).

Publications on how to take a soil sample (EC 628), available laboratories (EM 8677), Nutrient Management for Pastures: Western Oregon and Western Washington(EM9244) and Updated Lime Requirement Recommendations for Oregon are available from the Extension office or via the Internet. Search for or request publications by number.

Foxtail ID

There are many different plants with the common name "foxtail." A lot of what most people report as foxtail is Hare barley, some is actually Foxtail barley. It is best to identify your specific type of weedy grass before following any control practices you find referenced in the literature. Learn to ID these grasses using UC IPM website. Here is a list of the weedy grasses I have come across in my work. They are listed by genus and species and subspecies (italicized) followed by their common names and duration in parentheses.

Not "our foxtail"

Killing foxtail

Since foxtail is a grass, most of the common broadleaf herbicides do not control it. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide that will kill foxtail as well as most all other plants (grasses and broad leaved). Check out the fact sheet on toxicity, Glyphosate Questions & Answers(Link downloads document). Use glyphosate for a complete kill (control, C) in areas with solid Foxtail presence.

  • Spray the pasture with glyphosate (several brand names). Wait 7 to 10 days and disk the ground to turn under the dead plant residue. At this time, incorporate any fertilizer amendments by tillage and go over the field with a roller to prepare a fine seedbed for your new forage crop. Allow any existing foxtail seeds to germinate by waiting for rain or applying irrigation, and then respray this new growth when sufficient plant material is present (about two weeks). It will probably take two or three rounds of this to control the majority of foxtail plants germinating from the existing seed bank in the soil. Use a temporary pasture (see below) seeding in between rounds.

There are some selective herbicides normally used for broadleaf weeds that provide partial control (PC) of several weedy grasses. Use these herbicides for a more selective kill when desirable grasses predominate and grassy weeds are a minor component.

  • The label of Lambient (propoxycarbazone-sodium) lists partial control of foxtail barley (a perennial) when used at 0.9 to 1.2 oz/ac as a post-emergent in the fall and/or spring.
  • An Oregon State University study found that 0.11 lb ai of aminopyralid per acre (7 oz Milestone/ac) suppressed the germination of hare barley (an annual) in pastures when applied as a preemergent in the fall (J. Haavisto, 2012).
  • Use these selective herbicides as directed on the label to remove grassy and broadleaf weeds from among desirable grasses. There are limits to the amount you can spray in one year but they may require multiple years of application for the best efficacy. Both labels advise adding a non-ionic surfactant to the mix. Follow all restrictions and withdraw periods.
  • Most of our improved forage grasses are safe, but our legumes (clovers and other herbs) will be killed. Check the labels or apply herbicides in small test plots to test for safety on your specific pasture grasses. Lambient controls bromus species (including cheatgrass) and wild oat, and partially controls Foxtail Barley. It will kill some broadleaf weeds but also may kill clovers and other beneficial herbs. The label says it is safe on annual and perennial ryegrasses and orchardgrass. Tall Fescue is not listed as safe, but it might still be okay (test it on a small area). Milestone label lists medusahead rye and downy brome, two weedy grasses, as suppressed, and smooth brome, a forage grass, as susceptible.

For a non-herbicide alternative, the foxtail plants must be turned under and allowed to degrade in the dark, hot summer soils.

  • Repeat as necessary. Mowing is ineffective as the foxtail just make seeds on a shorter stalk. Light grazing prior to foxtail seed head formation can put some pressure on the weedy plant but animals stop grazing it once it goes to seed. Use tillage to kill any newly germinated plants prior to seed set. Heavy grazing has been shown to increase production of seeds as this can stimulate the formation of new tillers.

Temporary pasture forage

When glyphosate is used for a complete kill, it will probably take two or three times to control the majority of foxtail plants germinating from the existing seed bank in the soil. Therefore, a series of annual crop plantings is needed as a temporary pasture. This will exhaust the foxtail seed bank, unless the foxtail is allowed go to seed again. Mowing of the foxtail has been ineffective, as the plant will send up another seed head on a shorter stalk.

Foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum) is a perennial grass that sometime acts like an annual plant. So, after the respray (see above), do not rework the soil, rather drill or broadcast annual ryegrass or a cereal grass (oats and peas, for example) at a high rate. This forage may be grazed or hayed as a temporary crop.

Some people do not like the characteristics of annual ryegrass, especially its aggressive re-seeding potential. You can avoid this by planting a "true" annual ryegrass in the spring. It will not go to seed the first year due to its required vernalization (needs to over-winter in order to go to seed the next spring).

Permanent Pasture

After using the complete kill procedure and you are satisfied that the foxtail problem is controlled, plant a permanent pasture after the last spray of glyphosate. Plant new seeds of desirable forage without reworking the ground after the last round of treatment. Be sure to choose forage plants that are suited for your pasture site (drainage, intended use, irrigation, etc.) and have taken steps to correct any soil fertility problems.

Once your new pasture is established, proper grazing management is essential for maintaining a healthy pasture. Be careful to maintain a minimum pasture stubble height (3” for fescue or orchardgrass; 2” for ryegrass) and use some type of rest-rotation grazing routine. See more information in Pasture and Grazing Management in the Northwest (PNW 614).

Be careful not to reintroduce foxtail into your permanent pasture. When livestock have been grazing infested areas make sure they are not bringing seeds into your good pastures, either in their coats, feet, or gastrointestinal track. It takes 2-3 days for the seeds to pass through the animal and the seeds are still viable. Do not feed hay with foxtail seeds to livestock. Inspect hay before purchase by checking some bales or looking at the field where it is growing. Scout for any foxtail plants that come up in your permanent pasture and apply the proper controls.

¡Use los pesticidas con seguridad!

  • Póngase ropa de protección y equipo de seguridad según las recomendaciones de la etiqueta. Báñese después de cada uso.
  • Lea la etiqueta del pesticida—aunque lo haya usado antes. Siga al pie de la letra las indicaciones de la etiqueta (y cualquiera otra indicación que Ud. tenga).
  • Tenga precaución al aplicar los pesticidas. Conozca su responsabilidad legal como aplicador de pesticidas. Usted puede ser responsable de heridas o daños resultantes del uso de un pesticida.

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