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Type and Class of
Livestock:
All
classes of sheep, goats, and cattle.
Grazing Objective:
Begin grazing when rosettes are green and begin
to sprout. Remove animals when grazing shifts to
desirable species and then regraze new sprouts.
Growth Stage for
Treatment: Graze during the seedling
through late vegetative stage, with regular
removal of top growth throughout the season.
Graze often enough to prevent flowering. Grazing
treatment will need to be repeated at least
three years. Goats will graze older plants.
Potential Effectiveness:
Goats, sheep, and cattle can damage Canada
thistle with repeated grazing to prevent
flowering. Goats are the preferred grazing
animal, followed by sheep and cattle. Sheep and
cattle prefer to graze this plant when it is
young before spines develop. Grazing is most
effective when repeated during the season and
for multiple seasons to prevent seed production
and to deplete root reserves. Plants are smaller
and weaker in successive years after repeated
grazing. Most information suggests best results
are achieved when grazing is combined with
herbicide treatments. | 
© 2006, Targeted Grazing
