The Meadow Makers' Network Forum

Hi,
I'm looking into how to lose arisings as I don't have livestock as a local farmer recently told me that no farmer will want hay with yellow rattle in it as it will spread on their farm causing a negative impact on the grassland. Whilst we want the yellow rattle to reduce the dominance of certain grasses I can understand why a farmer might not want yellow rattle in their more productive fields. Has anyone had experience or problems with selling/giving away hay with yellow rattle in it?
Thanks
Jon

Hi Jon, I don't agree with your farmer. I have about 40 acres of hay meadows full of yellow rattle, from which the hay/lage is fed to my cows, and I've never known the seed to spread to fields where I don't want it. However, as an annual, if Yellow rattle seeds were to germinate and grow where they're not wanted, they could be easily grazed or mown before seeding, thus stopping its spread. It's definitely not like docks, ragwort, thistles, etc, which are difficult to get rid of. Furthermore, the seed in the bales is, of course, eaten, not sown.

Hello Jon

I agree with Steve.
Our meadows are full of yellow rattle, knapweed, achillia and many other wild flowers.
We have never had any issues with selling our hay.
What we do find is that as the grass reduces and the meadow flowers grow in numbers, the bulk amount of hay that comes off the land reduces. Since we are not managing our hay meadows to feed animals but for wildlife, then we don't have a problem with this.
The contractor that has cut our hay over the years doesn't worry about the flowers and he is feeding it to cows.
Moreover the cows are generally eating indoors over winter, so seeds aren't spreading on fields anyway.
I think you've heard one farmer's opinion that's all.

Good luck!

The farmer who bales and takes away our hay feeds it to his cows. He and his son are quite a fan of the hay - they say it's really nice quality and the cows love it! There's never been any issue about the rattle in it. Though one part of our field has been a bit overrun with rattle this year, they still baled and took away. As the other person said, rattle can be controlled fairly easily the following year by a late grazing or early mowing since it is an annual.

Thank you for the reassurance! I like the point about the ease in controlling it should YR get to places you don't want it.