Cows Eat Weeds & Brush

Peggy Rathmann and John Wick at their ranch in Nicasio
"Economically, if you compare the full cost of purchasing and applying Transline to the small cost of training cows to feed themselves on a nutritious plant like distaff -- well, training cows is the smarter move hands down. You can spend a lot of money fighting weeds and causing collateral damage. Transline kills your beneficial nitrogen fixers, too. When you spend a few dollars training your cows how to reap forage benefits from a weed, it's all good, there's no down side." - John Wick, Nicasio Native Grass Farm

John Wick and Peggy Rathmann
Peggy Rathmann and John Wick
at their ranch in Nicasio

"Economically, if you compare the full cost of purchasing and applying Transline to the small cost of training cows to feed themselves on a nutritious plant like distaff -- well, training cows is the smarter move hands down. You can spend a lot of money fighting weeds and causing collateral damage. Transline kills your beneficial nitrogen fixers, too. When you spend a few dollars training your cows how to reap forage benefits from a weed, it's all good, there's no down side."
- John Wick, Nicasio Native Grass Farm

A trainee eating leafy spurge
Cow eats leafy spurge

In 2004 I developed a process for teaching cows to eat weeds. My idea was to turn a problem into forage, so that farmers and ranchers could feed cows without spending money on weed control. It works because it's based on the science of animal behavior. The training steps are adaptable and can be used by anyone.

How much time does it take?
1 hour a day for 7 days, and a little time building a trial pasture for days 8 - 10. Then turn your cows loose and you're done.

Check out the Videos describing how training works.

In 2000 farmers and ranchers spent $2 Billon on pasture and weed control.

Yet, in spite of all our best efforts, weeds continue to spread at about 14% per year.

How about a new solution?

If you can't beat them, EAT THEM!

Teach 110 Pairs At Once
It just takes a cake feeder and some time picking the target weed.

We're Thrilled With Thistle
Canada, Musk, Distaff, Italian, Sow and Milk. Cows eat them all and never worry about the spines or prickles.

Let Us At That Leafy Spurge
We trained 20 cattle to eat it in 2004. Using this training process, cows in Canada now eat it too.

"Cows Beat Back Brush"
Check out this research by folks in Wisconsin using cattle to remove brush and restore Oak Savannah.

It's SO easy and it doesn't take that much time out of your day. I don't know why more people aren't doing it.

Jan Kluver of Ranch Resources in Sheridan, Montana worked with us in 2008 to teach two groups of heifers to eat Canada thistle.