Building up your grassland’s productivity this spring
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Where weeds are present in grazing or grass destined for silage then their control will help optimise the quality and yield of the forage being produced:
- Weeds can be less digestible and lower in nutritional content compared to grasses, this affects the overall quality of grazing and the silage.
- Weeds can reduce the overall biomass production by competing with the grass for water, nutrients and sunlight.
- Weeds may contain higher amounts of lignin or other compounds that can affect the fermentation process during silage production. By controlling weeds, the overall composition of the silage improves, leading to more efficient fermentation, better preservation, and higher feed value
- Silage made from grasses free of weeds tends to be more digestible for livestock, leading to better feed conversion rates and overall animal performance.
Common weeds to focus on:
Docks have deep roots and can be tough to remove. They consume valuable nutrients and lower the digestibility of silage.
Chickweed affects silage making – it has a high moisture content, is difficult to wilt and leads to poorer fermentation.
Buttercup can lower the nutritional value grazing and silage due to their bitter taste. They contain compounds which if consumed in large quantities can cause digestive upset, salivation and diarrhea.
Dandelions and nettles compete for nutrients and can reduce the overall silage quality.
Identify weed problems early and select a herbicide that will give a high level of control of the weeds present.
ProGrass™ contains Arylex™, a new active ingredient for grassland use. This new product will give long-lasting control of a wide range of key broad-leaved weeds such as docks, nettles, buttercups, plantains and dandelions. It is also effective on tough-to-kill hogweed and cow parsley. It’s a fast-acting formulation with a label that supports a seven-day cutting interval when needed. This will help with making treatments between silage cuts more feasible.
ProGrass can be used on grass being grazed or cut, it tackles a wide spectrum of weeds, it is fast acting and comes with less packaging than some other sprays.
It is a more concentrated formulation than Doxstar® Pro with a dose rate of 1.5 l/ha and comes in a 3-litre pack. Each pack treats 2 hectares or 5 acres. This makes it an ideal solution for contractor spraying.
The label carries a requirement for application with 75% 3* drift reduction technology and it does have a 12m aquatic buffer zone requirement. ProGrass will kill clover.
View the Best Practice Guidelines for ProGrass to find out more on how best to use the product.