How to Use Grazing as a Non-Chemical Weed Control Strategy

May 03, 2021

By Devii R. Rao

Do you want to control your rangeland weeds without using herbicides? Check out the new manual called, “Best Management Practices for Non-Chemical Weed Control,” a collaboration between the University of California Cooperative Extension and California Invasive Plant Council. The grazing section (in Chapter 5), led by Theresa Becchetti with UC Cooperative Extension, covers several important aspects to consider when grazing for weed control, including the following:

Differences in eating habits between cattle, sheep, and goats
Timing of grazing to control grasses, forbs, and shrubs
Training livestock to eat certain weeds
Protecting livestock from toxic plants
Infrastructure needed
Eliminating or reducing any potential risks associated with grazing (e.g. erosion, or impacts to sensitive cultural resources or species)
Monitoring success of the grazing program
Other weed control methods to use in combination with grazing

Source : ucanr.edu

Video: Trailer Biosecurity at Harvest Plants - Dr. Lucas Ferreira

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Lucas Ferreira, a Research Assistant at the University of Minnesota, discusses trailer contamination risks at packing plants. He shares research on pathogen prevalence, seasonal trends, driver biosecurity practices, and factors contributing to contamination during transport. He highlights opportunities to strengthen biosecurity and reduce disease transmission across swine operations. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Trailer washing gaps allow harvest plant contamination to increase pathogen risk before equipment returns to farms or wash facilities."

Meet the guest: Dr. Lucas Ferreira https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-fer... is a veterinarian from Brazil currently pursuing a master's degree at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on swine pathogen epidemiology, detection, control, and prevalence, with an emphasis on science-driven solutions that improve herd health and biosecurity. Learn more from Dr. Lucas Ferreira on The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.