butercup in sliage ground

cj maxx

well,im hoping cut cut silage bales for my own fodder but damn buttercups have come back strong after i topped the field. it was only reading the pastor label that it says they are poisionous .i didnt know.
i cant top again as id lose too much grass for cutting . with this rain its impossible to spray. weeds i can pull but will buttercup in the bales render them useless for winter feed ?

pakalasa

When was the last time you spread lime on this land? They say that buttercups are a sign that the land needs lime, i.e it is gone too acidic.
I never heard of buttercups being poisonous.

brian_t

Buttercups pose no threat if harvested in hay since the drying process eliminates the toxic agent.

From the article below

Buttercups – are poisonous but less so than ragwort, generally damaging sward density and in time smothering out the grass.
Buttercups are easily recognized in early spring by their bright yellow flowers.
This attractive 'wildflower' possesses several weedy characteristics that make it difficult to control in pastures.
Buttercup populations are greater in low areas of fields that tend to remain wet for a long period and in pastures with poor stands of grass.
Overgrazing the forage usually increases the buttercup population. Buttercups have a relatively low potential for poisoning livestock.
All above ground plant parts may contain the toxin and the primary signs of toxicity are oral or gastrointestinal irritation.
Buttercups pose no threat if harvested in hay since the drying process eliminates the toxic agent.
Typically, buttercups are not palatable and grazing animals rarely consume them if other forage is available.

http://www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk/pws/Content.ice?page=GuidesHowToWeedControlPaddocks&pgForward=businesscontentfull

cj maxx

thanks brian and pakalassa. i never guessed buttercups were poisionus either !
i read here it was a lime issue . our land has never been limed in my 30+ years and is overdue a good plough and reseed. apart from the lime issue i think overgrazing and poaching and lack of slurry , etc over the years has had an impact too on them also . beware of who you lease to!:mad:
it says above the drying process during hay making destroys the toxins , does the silage process do the same though .

brian_t

pakalasa wrote: »

When was the last time you spread lime on this land? They say that buttercups are a sign that the land needs lime, i.e it is gone too acidic.

Buttercup

These are common in heavily grazed horse pastures in latrine and wet areas but are usually avoided by horses; contrary to popular opinion, buttercup is not a sign of acid soil, but may be an indication of ‘horse sickness’. They are mildly poisonous, but are safe in hay.

http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2011/70/70_Horse_Grassland_2010_web.pdf ....Page 44

The above statement by Teagasc does seem to run contrary to all the other information on Buttercups to be found on the internet.

Buttercups in forage is also discussed in this thread from last year http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056270855