Meadow Foxtail Hay | Slide Mouse
Early seed production vigorous seedlings rhizomes and rooting from lower nodes allow this plant to form a sod and it can quickly dominate pastures and hay fields under certain conditions.
Meadow foxtail hay. Garrison creeping foxtail also know as creeping meadow foxtail is a cool season sod forming grass introduced from eurasia. If you have a load of hay delivered to your farm that contains foxtail it doesn t mean the hay is bad and your horse may never be bothered by it at all. Seeds are light and fluffy. It is strongly rhizomatous grass forming a dense sod.
Lesions are often seen in the mouth and can cause pain and reluctance to eat. Meadow foxtail is a long lived perennial grass that thrives in moist and or fine textured soils and is intolerant of drought. Meadow foxtail grows in the meadows near the agricultural fields in the orchards near the roads and on the edges of the forest. Gorges and ralph meadow foxtail is a grass with a long seed head.
Deep ulcerations of the tongue gums and cheeks may lead to abscesses. Foxtail seed heads photo by laura kenny during pennsylvania summers many pastures and hayfields contain an intruder. 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.
Meadow foxtail facts meadow foxtail is herbaceous plant that belongs to the family of grasses. At first glance it looks like the popular timothy grass but a close inspection can tell you that it s really foxtail. Unfortunately it is hard to bale hay without getting foxtail mixed in as well. Foxtail is a summer annual grass meaning it grows from seed in the spring and dies in the fall.
Existing foxtail plants should be killed with an herbicide. It originates from temperate parts of europe and asia but it can be found all over the northern hemisphere today. Problems usually occur when hay is cut late and a substantial number of foxtail panicles are present. Garrison is robust and maintains growth throughout the growing season producing an almost continuous quality forage.
It looks very similar to timothy but matures sooner and the leaves are darker in color.