Recent content by KathyV

It's true that cattle prefer not to eat knapweed after it seeds out. That's because the protein drops below 8% making it less palatable. When grazed early, during bolting, it's protein runs between 15 and 20% and though it will grow back and put on flowers, research has demonstrated that...

Canada thistle is likewise a good forage and at an average 16% protein I've found it one of the easiest to teach cattle to eat. Cows in Montana grazed it to the same height they grazed the grass in their pasture. If you want to see the basic training process, here's a link to a "music video"...

Hi, Kathy Voth here of On Pasture and Livestock for Landscapes. I've trained LOTS of cows to eat several different species of knapweed. Before it sets seed it is generally as high in nutritional value as alfalfa. It's a shame that more people aren't taking advantage of this forage. I...