The cheapest form of dock control

[multi power]

Something in that .We have them ,really check them in summer cows eat them the rest of the time!

The docks are full of holes already

 

[Lovegoodstock]

Very few docks here except one field.
The sheep keep them in check, esp when we dry up in the summer, there ain't much else to eat so they clear the docks &nettles.


I'm turning ewes and lambs to some fields 4 miles away and around the sheep pens are some fair docks like this

View attachment 502602

Went down today and the docks the ewe's can get at have been eaten right off......&they've got tons of grass so they choose to do it!


View attachment 502604 View attachment 502606

Pity they left the nettles

Are there different types of docks? Regularly shut up early lambers on nothing from say june, wont be a blade of grass and field will look yellow bar a pile of dark green lush docks, our sheep would never touch them. Anyone else have the same situation? Or do I regularly have the most annoying unhelpful things with my stock??!!!

 

[Headless chicken]

The docks are full of holes already

I think I will just steal yours. Seems much cheaper than buying any

 

[Kevtherev]

Two types of dock as far as I know
Broad leaved dock
Curled dock

 

[Kevtherev]

I do... even heavy chain harrows in both directions gives them a hurry up. Once they've had their then even lambs gobble them up, best if you can get them eaten and get those nutrients in the cycle.. thats why I don't spray at all; waste not=want not

Yes the grass harrows over twice tended to rip all the leaves off which they didn't like.
Significant reduction in dock numbers.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Yes the grass harrows over twice tended to rip all the leaves off which they didn't like.
Significant reduction in dock numbers.

I don't have much of a weed issue here, I have patches of Californian thistle and patches that have docks, the only way to really beat either is to hurt their root reserves by limiting the size of their leaves all year.. this year it's been more cost effective to mow them an extra time than pay through the @$$ for extra livestock.
Unfortunately, I gather that many of your payments/subs are to be lower stocked and less production-orientated, and weeds definitely become more of a problem with lower stocking pressure.. and the cost per head of weed control is then higher too.
Avoid set stocking where possible and just keep grazing or mowing them down, and maybe a late spray or wipe when the clovers are dormant as a follow up?
As mentioned above, certain soil areas seem to favour the weeds over the pasture species, the clue to what it may be is that if your weeds are deep rooted then it's obviously somewhat compaction/drainage related. Docks and thistles prefer soils that have a higher fungal/bacterial ratio i.e. downwind of trees and hedges where litter falls and stock naturally camp, higher cover areas where they can hide in the grass and avoid being grazed bare, and areas over rich in potash..so you are on the right lines with your harrow theory, anything that reduces photosynthesis
whether that be by harrow, mower, mulcher, or sheep.

 

[Kevtherev]

There you are @GTB get the Harrow out

 

[davieh3350]

When i was a lad i had a couple of goats, they loved the docks that the cows didn't eat out of round bale silage

@country_gal your new venture of a goatherdess (is that a word) starts here, contract dock control!

 

[davieh3350]

The Hebridean sheep seemed to like the young dock plants last summer.

 

[sleepy]

Local spraying contractor also says anything clover friendly is dock friendly too. He reccommends doxstar and chuck some clovers on with the ferts a few weeks later. It actually works too.

Doxstar is an expensive way of buying fluroxypyr. Just use something like Hudson or whatever's cheapest and mix it with some cimarron if you really want to nail them.

 

[milkloss]

Doxstar is an expensive way of buying fluroxypyr. Just use something like Hudson or whatever's cheapest and mix it with some cimarron if you really want to nail them.

Interesting. I don't doubt your experiences but I always thought sulfonylurea should be mixed with a phenoxy hormone I.e mcpa or 24D. Somehow it protects the grass esp from cimarron. I should think coupes with fluroxypyr it would work well as it would knock docks down quicker than just a sulfony. Does cimarron make a huge difference? What is the cost comparison like?

 

[Paddington]

Very few docks here except one field.
The sheep keep them in check, esp when we dry up in the summer, there ain't much else to eat so they clear the docks &nettles.


I'm turning ewes and lambs to some fields 4 miles away and around the sheep pens are some fair docks like this

View attachment 502602

Went down today and the docks the ewe's can get at have been eaten right off......&they've got tons of grass so they choose to do it!


View attachment 502604 View attachment 502606

Pity they left the nettles

Have your Wilties done that @exmoor dave ?

 

[exmoor dave]

Have your Wilties done that @exmoor dave ?

No wilts but there are some of their daughters (exlana), also some exlana x exmoor mule
And Exmoor mules

I don't think it's the mules doing it as I've had them years and they've not done this before.

 

[sleepy]

Interesting. I don't doubt your experiences but I always thought sulfonylurea should be mixed with a phenoxy hormone I.e mcpa or 24D. Somehow it protects the grass esp from cimarron. I should think coupes with fluroxypyr it would work well as it would knock docks down quicker than just a sulfony. Does cimarron make a huge difference? What is the cost comparison like?

You could always stick some Polo in as well

Anything is going to be cheaper than doxstar or Pastor

To be fair fluroxypyr plus a wetter if the docks are big will is probably the most cost effective.

 

[David.]

I reckon sheep love docks when they have seeded, and carry them far and wide in their bumbles.

 

[Coximus]

A hebridean ewe will walk round a field eating thistle and docks all day, 5 or 6 would cost nothing snd clean a large area. Theyre browsers. Cross them to a tex and they produce a slower growing but good market lamb. A money earning dock and thislte remover.

 

[multi power]

here you go @Headless chicken

 

[Old Boar]

Lots of those beetles here - little jewels, shine iridescent greens and golds. They knock them but dont seem to kill them.
I would have thought the cheapest option is a lad with a knife on a stick.

 

[multi power]

They only kill them if you have a beard and or sandles

 

[pappuller]

The lad who is in charge of the ranch while we are away has ordered some dock spray, dont know its name but it is £3.75/acre I will know more nxt week