Herbicide Control of Locoweeds: A Review

Abstract

Locoweed poisoning of livestock is the most widespread poisonous plant problem in the western United States. This paper presents a historical review of control methods to reduce locoweed plant density. Hand grubbing, the most common method of control before phenoxy herbicides, was practical in small pastures considering the number of livestock saved. Trials in the 1950s indicated that 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T generally controlled locoweeds effectively if applied when plants were actively growing and soil moisture was not limiting plant growth. Picloram, dicamba, clopyralid, and triclopyr provide more consistent control than 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T when applied at less than optimum environmental conditions.