Re: RC: Yellow Star Thistle

[Bette Lamore <woa@stormnet.com>]

Hi Mary
Geez, you must have had REALLY hungry pigmies--- mine only went for the
rosebushes, flowers, and cheese and ham when we had company over (and
they LOVED margaritas!)
We have had pastures that had LOTS of star thistle and no matter how
much we pulled--- they came back with a vengeance. My vet said to
relax--- they will only eat it if there is NOTHING else to eat and that
appears to be true with my horses--- never touched the plants (unlike
the local loco weed in Cuyama which they can become addicted to--- I
spent DAYS pulling that stuff out!!!!). So long as you give them a
choice, thistle will not be a problem. Guess it doesn't taste great and
then there are those pricklies....
Bette
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of 16.2hh TLA Halynov	
(Yes, really 16.2!)
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com
guest@endurance.net wrote:
> 
> Mary Abbott mabbott@wizwire.com
> Hello everybody!  Those of you living in California will be familiar with
> the issue I am bringing up, though, I checked the Ridecamp archives and
> did not find much discussion on it so far. Anyhow, I have yellow star
> thistle on my property and it is pretty thick this year.  (Probably
> because a mountain lion killed off all but one of my pygmy goats last
> winter!)  This got me to wondering... Is there any information as to WHEN
> star thistle is most potent (i.e., when it is growing with the grass in
> the spring, or is flowering)?  Is it still poisonous to horses once it has
> dried out?  For how long?  And for how long do horses hold its toxins in
> their systems?  Can it build up over a period of years?  Thank you in
> advance for your responses!
> 
> P.S.:  I am in the market for some more pygmy goats, if anyone knows of
> any in the Sierra Foothills area.
> 
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