Wild onions in hayfield

[John S-B]

I went out to look at the hayfield today and there's a bunch of wild onion in it this year. This hay is timothy, red clover and alfalfa mix, and mostly goes to horses. A little of it goes to to goats and a few cows. I know onions are not good for dairy (Very little dairy around here) but is it a problem for horses?

 

[Charlie M]

I don"t think onions are bad to eat for any thing. With cows it will make the milk taste like onions. I"ve had hay for beef with onions and for a couple of weeks the whole barn smells like onions. If you get the hay before the onions go to seed it will be ok once the smell goes away, If they have formed seeds then you"ll be spreadingn onions to anyone that buys your hay. They are hard to get rid of once you get them.

 

[keh]

What Charlie said, plus I have been told that wild onions will taste in beef. No personal experience there, but I have tasted onions in milk and it is unforgettable.

I think all of the taste problems come only from onions that have been grazed while green. I doubt if onions dried in hay will taste, but haven't tried it.

KEH

 

[Anonymous-0]

Second the taste in milk, otherwise don't think they'llhurt anything. If you haven't limed the field yet, use red lime. For some reason, red lime kills them out. Might want to check with farm service just to make sure it doesn't hurt the timothy or other grasses. We used to go this route in cotton and beans in southern Mo.

 

[Scottnj1]

I kinda like the idea of onions being tasted in the beef. That would save me from having to put an onion in the pot!

On a more serious note, what's red lime?

 

[jose bagge]

based on all the onions still standing in my pastures, it won't hurt the horses- they just won't eat it!

 

[jose bagge]

based on all the onions still standing in my pastures, it won't hurt the horses- they just won't eat it!