Can anyone identify this hay/weed/whatever?

JBandRio · 09-10-2007, 11:24 AM

This in the hay that I'm looking to get. The hay itself looks good, but it's got quite a few of these things in it. I've seen it before in the round bales that I normally get, but I know those round bales are good, my horses eat them all, etc. This is a new hay source, still orchard grass (like the round bales) and since I don't know the source at all, I'm trying to find out what exactly is in it. I know the pics are large, sorry

I think it's fine, whatever "it" is as I think the horses will just pick around it. But if they get too "omg there's hay!!" and don't get so picky I need to know what it is.

3WishesDun · 09-10-2007, 11:30 AM

Looks a little like Indian Grass Jordana. But I am not positive.....

JBandRio · 09-10-2007, 11:38 AM

Is that good, bad, indifferent?

3WishesDun · 09-10-2007, 11:41 AM

I think it's fine.
This site says Indian grass is okay for livestock.
Google Image Result for http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/grass/indiangrass12.jpg

Indian Grass - Sorghastrum nutans

Again, I am not sure if that is indeed what it is...
I will sometimes find Indian Grass mixed in with my Timothy or Orchard grass hay. Especially when it is in the flowering/seeding stage.... looks almost like oats to me, but not quite.

Dawn · 09-10-2007, 11:58 AM

Uhhh....looks like a stick to me.

Sorry, it's difficult to tell the actual scale of it in the picture.

JBandRio · 09-10-2007, 12:21 PM

Dawn, lol, if it helps, the floorboards are, I think, 3 1/2" wide.

April, ahh, I've heard of sorghum. These pieces are (or were, it looks like) round-ish and not flat, if that makes any difference.

Dawn · 09-10-2007, 12:33 PM

Yep, looks like stick then.

I have seen similar 'things' in hay that looked like sticks but were greener and softer. Don't know exaclty what they are, but the horses do always seem to eat around them.

ches · 09-10-2007, 01:12 PM

It looks like pokeweed to me.

MissCita · 09-10-2007, 01:16 PM

It looks like bramble bush (by that I mean some kind of raspberry/black berry, etc bush) to me! We have tons around here and from time to time there's some in the hay and it looks exactly like that. Dried bramble is hard and almost stick like, but I think it's hollow.

JBandRio · 09-10-2007, 01:42 PM

Ahhh, ches, yes, it might indeed be pokeweed!! It would make sense if only a few bales had it from the edge of the field. I know the plants themselves are not something you want horses eating, so I wonder if they'd pick around it.

I think I'm ok though - turns out only a few bales had this and the rest look good. I'm picking up 63 bales tonight and will check them as it's fairly obvious which bales have this and which don't.

09-10-2007, 11:24 AM	#1
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,784 Images: 145 Blog Entries: 12	Can anyone identify this hay/weed/whatever? This in the hay that I'm looking to get. The hay itself looks good, but it's got quite a few of these things in it. I've seen it before in the round bales that I normally get, but I know those round bales are good, my horses eat them all, etc. This is a new hay source, still orchard grass (like the round bales) and since I don't know the source at all, I'm trying to find out what exactly is in it. I know the pics are large, sorry I think it's fine, whatever "it" is as I think the horses will just pick around it. But if they get too "omg there's hay!!" and don't get so picky I need to know what it is. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - You can't hit me with all those snowballs!

09-10-2007, 11:30 AM	#2
3WishesDun Senior Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: At My Wit's End Posts: 16,982 Images: 655 Blog Entries: 27	Looks a little like Indian Grass Jordana. But I am not positive..... __________________ Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep. -Frost I've Been Snowballed!

09-10-2007, 11:38 AM	#3
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,784 Images: 145 Blog Entries: 12	Is that good, bad, indifferent? __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - You can't hit me with all those snowballs!

09-10-2007, 11:41 AM	#4
3WishesDun Senior Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: At My Wit's End Posts: 16,982 Images: 655 Blog Entries: 27	I think it's fine. This site says Indian grass is okay for livestock. Google Image Result for http://www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/grass/indiangrass12.jpg Indian Grass - Sorghastrum nutans Again, I am not sure if that is indeed what it is... I will sometimes find Indian Grass mixed in with my Timothy or Orchard grass hay. Especially when it is in the flowering/seeding stage.... looks almost like oats to me, but not quite. __________________ Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep. -Frost I've Been Snowballed!

09-10-2007, 12:21 PM	#6
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,784 Images: 145 Blog Entries: 12	Dawn, lol, if it helps, the floorboards are, I think, 3 1/2" wide. April, ahh, I've heard of sorghum. These pieces are (or were, it looks like) round-ish and not flat, if that makes any difference. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - You can't hit me with all those snowballs!

09-10-2007, 11:58 AM	#5
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,484 Images: 1390	Uhhh....looks like a stick to me. Sorry, it's difficult to tell the actual scale of it in the picture.

09-10-2007, 12:33 PM	#7
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,484 Images: 1390	Yep, looks like stick then. I have seen similar 'things' in hay that looked like sticks but were greener and softer. Don't know exaclty what they are, but the horses do always seem to eat around them.

09-10-2007, 01:12 PM	#8
ches Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2,472 Images: 38	It looks like pokeweed to me.

09-10-2007, 01:16 PM	#9
MissCita Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Surrey, BC Posts: 1,023 Images: 278	It looks like bramble bush (by that I mean some kind of raspberry/black berry, etc bush) to me! We have tons around here and from time to time there's some in the hay and it looks exactly like that. Dried bramble is hard and almost stick like, but I think it's hollow. __________________ Cita 7 y/o American Paint Horse For Sale

09-10-2007, 01:42 PM	#10
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 23,784 Images: 145 Blog Entries: 12	Ahhh, ches, yes, it might indeed be pokeweed!! It would make sense if only a few bales had it from the edge of the field. I know the plants themselves are not something you want horses eating, so I wonder if they'd pick around it. I think I'm ok though - turns out only a few bales had this and the rest look good. I'm picking up 63 bales tonight and will check them as it's fairly obvious which bales have this and which don't. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - You can't hit me with all those snowballs!

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