Can’t seem to find specific info on grazing restrictions. Would like to spray the mare/baby pasture.
Anyone know if there are restrictions?
Yes, there are restrictions. Penn State says wait a week before putting lactating cows back on the pasture, but says nothing about calves or foals.
I would check the label or call the company for better information! If it were my foal and “they” say one week I’d wait two weeks–just to be on the safe side… 
I agree with Cherry, I always wait for 2 weeks. Unless you get some good, heavy rainfall after about a week.
Hmmm. That’s going to be a problem as I don’t have an empty pasture.
I’ll probably not spray the baby pasture this year and just do the other pastures.
Thanks.
[QUOTE=Cherry;8178977]
Yes, there are restrictions. Penn State says wait a week before putting lactating cows back on the pasture, but says nothing about calves or foals.
I would check the label or call the company for better information! If it were my foal and “they” say one week I’d wait two weeks–just to be on the safe side… ;)[/QUOTE]
“lactating cows back on the pasture” this is per the USDA. It also states it right on the labeling of 2-4-D. Penn State is just “reciting”.
We have lots of mares and foals. Have never had a problem with grazing after applying. It does not have a “no graze” restriction like some other broad leaf herbicides. Other than for dairy cattle used for milk production for human consumption.
To each their own on this.
I’ve known some farms that wait 30 days before putting mares and foals back out…but that was a TB boarding farm with clients’ very expensive mares. Other farms waited anywhere from 4-5 days (after a rainfall) to two weeks.
If I didn’t have space available to move them, I’d spray anyway. I’ve called poison control myself twice regarding this issue, and both times was told “no grazing restrictions whatsoever for horses.” Keep the horses inside for the day while the spray dries, and then turn them back out.
I use the GrazonNext HL product, diluted according to label instructions, in our 25 gallon sprayer off the back of the tractor. We’ve had absolutely no problems with mares, foals, early preggo mares, or anyone else. What I usually do is spray in sections - so for our 6 acre pasture I did 2 acres at a time, 2-3 weeks (and at least one heavy rain) apart. This way they aren’t forced to graze on the sprayed areas if they don’t like the taste, smell or whatever. You can also spot spray problem areas if you don’t want to do the whole thing. I use that strategy in my smaller (1 acre) paddocks.
I spray in the evening and turn out the next morning. Never had an issue.
[QUOTE=EventerAJ;8179718]
I’ve known some farms that wait 30 days before putting mares and foals back out…but that was a TB boarding farm with clients’ very expensive mares. Other farms waited anywhere from 4-5 days (after a rainfall) to two weeks.
If I didn’t have space available to move them, I’d spray anyway. I’ve called poison control myself twice regarding this issue, and both times was told “no grazing restrictions whatsoever for horses.” Keep the horses inside for the day while the spray dries, and then turn them back out.[/QUOTE]
Not really sure why people feel better about waiting a couple of weeks and or for rain before turning out again. 2-4-D is absorbed into the plant/weed, grass. It doesn’t wash off. Yes the weeds die and horses most likely won’t eat them. But from what I have been told it is absorbed into the grass also. It just doesn’t kill it. But is still “present” in the grass. Not stating this as fact but that’s what I have been told.
2-4-D has been in use for over 70 years. If it was going to present a problem with mares and foals, horse’s in general logic dictates that we would have heard about it by now.
Interesting! Thanks.
[QUOTE=gumtree;8180259]
Not really sure why people feel better about waiting a couple of weeks and or for rain before turning out again. 2-4-D is absorbed into the plant/weed, grass. It doesn’t wash off. Yes the weeds die and horses most likely won’t eat them. But from what I have been told it is absorbed into the grass also. It just doesn’t kill it. But is still “present” in the grass. Not stating this as fact but that’s what I have been told.
2-4-D has been in use for over 70 years. If it was going to present a problem with mares and foals, horse’s in general logic dictates that we would have heard about it by now.[/QUOTE]
I totally agree. I’ve sprayed my fair share of the stuff the last ten years with nary a problem. I think the only idea about waiting is to CYA…that way if a mare slips a Bernardini embryo at 45 days, the (perhaps un-ag-educated) mare owner can’t come back and point fingers at “mismanagement” due to pasturing her on a “poisoned field” immediately after spraying. (Sort of like widespread Regumate usage…another worm can simply to CYA in most instances.)
Response from our University Extension Service:
The herbicide label will specifically outline all grazing and harvest restrictions. The Curtail (active ingredients clopyralid and 2,4-D) label found online (which might be different from your specific label) states “Do not graze lactating dairy cattle in treated areas for 14 days after application”. It is common that horses are not specifically included on herbicide labels; most labels focus on lactating or meat animals. When horses are not included, we recommend following the guidelines for dairy cattle.
So, the grazing restriction is 14 days (or whatever your specific label states) for Curtail applied to your horse pasture. Also note that Curtail has additional precautions regarding manure and compost. See the label for restrictions on manure applications from livestock fed herbicide treated forage and for mulch or compost applied to sensitive crops (i.e. soybeans and other broadleaf crops).
