As the dog days of summer bring us more heat than moisture, we tend to get more calls about poisonous plants in pastures. The desirable forages don’t regrow as well under dry hot conditions, and this leads animals to “stray” and add some undesirables to their menu.

Most grazing animals are fully aware of what plant species are good and not good for them based on parental imprinting and experience. However, overgrazed pastures can lead to a higher probability of eating an undesirable plant. Youngstock grazing for the first time make up the majority of poisoning cases based on their lack of experience.

Here are a couple tips to help prevent poisoning:

1. Scout your pasture to properly identify poisonous plant species.
2. Manage toxic species before they become a problem.
3. Maintain fence lines. Many noxious or toxic plant species can be found in fence rows that haven’t been properly maintained and have become overgrown.

This table published by Penn State University is a good synopsis of poisonous plants that can be found in our area.
Poisonous Plants Table

To learn more…
Check this Cornell website for more information on poisonous plants: http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/
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