Johnson Grass

[MadiL]

Hello, I recently moved to a new barn in a new state and my horse has done a 180° in terms of everything. It’s very clear he is not happy and things need to change.

I have the opportunity to move him to my neighbors barn however the grass there is Johnson which I don’t have experience with and want to know if it’s safe/experiences.

There hasn’t been any horses on it for three years (but still has all been maintained). Before that, there had been horses on property for over 20 years. He would have a stall as well and not outside 24/7.

I appreciate any and all advice. Thank you.

[Djones]

They will ignore it in favor of good grass.

[Janet]

Johnson grass it potentially toxic (hydrogen cyanide) when it is stressed, for instance due to drought or a hard freeze.

But, as long as there is plenty of other grass to eat, they will avoid it when it “tastes bitter”.
When it isn’t stressed, it is frequently fed to cattle.

I have a certain amount of Johnson grass in my pasture, which I mow regularly once it emerges in June, and have had no problems because of it.

[Jarpur]

An Agriculture Extension Agent, during a class I too, made a point of telling about a case he knew of first-hand in which a gate was left open only momentarily, a few cattle got through, and in the time it took to shoo the cattle and close the gate, a few died – from only a few bites! I realize that horses are not ruminants, but I still wouldn’t chance it.

Alabama (not my state) extension website quote: “NO if you are grazing horses. Johnsongrass is closely related to several other forage sorghums, and should not be grazed by horses as it can lead to equine cystitis.”

Personally, I never let my horses graze on Johnson grass, or eat hay containing it – it’s not worth it to me.

[candyappy]

We have it here. Not much you can do to keep it out and it makes good hay/ grazing.

My only advice is to keep it mowed if they don’t keep it grazed so that it does not get tall and develop the shoots with a head on them as when overly mature like that it is toxic ( or can be).

I do not have it in my horse pasture but it was in my goats and cows pasture and they go for it first and I never see evidence of it now.

It is in our hay fields and we either do multiple cuttings or we keep it mowed and have never had an issue. Here JG is a major headache.

[SusanO]

I have small patches of it in wet areas in my pasture. My horses do not like it and have plenty of other forage available so they are not tempted. They will not eat it in hay and generally reject the whole bale if they detect it. My philosophy has always been - Feed enough really good quality forage and horses won’t eat bad stuff.

[JB]

How much JG is there? If the pasture is otherwise healthy, dense grass, not over-grazed, and there’s some JG here and there, it doesn’t concern me at all. Even if it’s cold-stressed and the pasture is short, nibbling a little here and there is fine. My horses have been living with some in the pasture for almost 20 years. Keeping the pasture mowed does help.

I’ve also had lots of hay with a little JG in it, and the horses always pick through it. It’s still safe at that point, obviously it wasn’t cold-stressed, but it doesn’t taste tood.