Making hay from a field with nettles in it

[zoon]

I have a field that I am thinking of cutting hay from this year. Only issue is, it has a few patches of nettles in it. They are no other weeds. Can I just cut it as it is? If I pull the nettles up the horses fight over them when they have wilted, so are obviously tasty - hence I've never dealt with them as can just pull them up now and then and they are eaten.

 

[Izzwizz]

If the patches of nettles are only small I dont see a problem. Horses do like them and I believe they are a source of vitamin/goodness. There are supplements on the market from memory of dried nettle. At the end of the day if they dont like it they wont eat it!

 

[flirtygerty]

Why make work for yourself, I have been pulling nettles tonight for the horses, not sure how but since stores sell dried nettle they must have some benefit, I know ours love them, just wish they would eat them growing, my fingers are tingling like mad and I had gloves on

 

[Jenna c bigg]

Hi there. Dont worry about the horses eating nettles that are cut, nettles are full of iron and vitamins. But they can make the bails rot. Try to make sure you turn the nettles so they are nice and dry before bailing. Have fun

 

[zoon]

Well I was considering having it wrapped as fairly dry haylage as it will be easier for me to store - is this not advisable if there are some nettles in it as it'll rot?

 

[Miss L Toe]

If it is wrapped it is less likely to go mouldy, ask the farmer.

 

[Jenna c bigg]

Well I was considering having it wrapped as fairly dry haylage as it will be easier for me to store - is this not advisable if there are some nettles in it as it'll rot?

No if any thing better, then the nettles will hold their nutrients, so long as you rap them properly the bales will be fine. The nettles hold more moister than grass but if your going for haylage it will all be moist, so no problem. Just make sure you have a doc leaf handy. Hehe

 

[zoon]

Brilliant, thanks guys

 

[Rose Folly]

As everyone has asid, nettles in small quantities are absolutely fine in hay - and your horses will love them.

But just a word of warning. Some years ago two of my liveries here had plump ponies. A neighbour of mine wanted his neglected paddock eaten down - wretched grass and little of it, and a lot of nettles - it seemed ideal work for the ponies. On the day they went in he told me he'd asked his handyman to cut the nettles down. I didn't think anything more about it. Then , five or six days later, one of the ponies went down with iodine poisoning - basically too many delicious wilted nettles. She recovered, but I learnt my lesson.

 

[bushbaby28]

Interesting story - my horse has side bone and was intermittently lame. He happened to be turned out in a field with nettles and saw that he was eating them. Mentioned this to the farrier in passing and apparently nettles can be used to treat pain in the foot! Might be an old wives tale but thought it was interesting

 

[zoon]

There are not so many that it'd cause iodine poisoning!