Posted on 11/21/2005 2:29:46 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (AP) - Researchers here are looking to horse manure to study the spread of invasive weeds.
Dominican University has received a $100,000 National Park Service grant to study how to slow the spread of nonnative plants and weeds in state parks, school officials said. Horse manure might be part of the problem, according to scientists.
Researchers began collecting horse manure samples from trails and pastures this summer. They want to test an assumption that seeds can pass through horses, leading to sprouts of invasive weeds.
"We need to know through scientific research if horses do or do not spread weeds and if they do, what is the impact on the parks," said Sibdas Ghosh, chair of Dominican's Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Colorado, Nevada and Montana require horse owners to give their animals feed that has been certified as weed free.
"But pointy head liberal univeristy envirowacko twerps don't know s*** about anything."
They're trying very, very hard to get to know s***.
Well, at least this time they're admitting they're wasting tax dollars on pure horse sh*t. I don't know how sewer plants work now days, but not that long ago the prettiest tomato plants in town were popping up on their own in the brown stuff. Break up any cow patty and it's full of seeds. Duh, everyone knows birds help "move" vegetation around the world.
Dont worry, we dont need money for important things, say, cancer research or something, so lets investigate horse $hit instead. great.
Boy, truer words never said. What a waste of money, but with this congress, what do you expect
"Do they make pooper-scoopers for horses?"
I'm thinking diapers. As in "if it's good enough for Central Park, it's certainly good enough for the hinterlands."
here ya go...
I blame the birds.
Thats a no brainer. You alway put a certain amount of grass seed in the horse feed to help reseed the pasture.
Horse crap is left in a pile for a year. During that time the crap goes thru a heat , it gets warm , The warmth kills the seeds, If you use it before it is cured it will get you weeds. Everyone knows that.
By the way when they used treated sewage from Blue Plains treatment plant around the beltway Tomatoes,cucumbers, watermelons and a lot of other things were growing the next summer. People were stopping and picking the fruit. So Yes seeds go thru humans too.
This isn't a new idea, not quite sure why the issue is being wondered about...
But invasives can be a real problem. True, most hay fed to horses would not include plants that would be considered invasive and harmful. But nonetheless, horses nowadays are fed exotic grasses that do not grow naturally, that may be unwelcome in pristine areas.
Groups such as the Backcountry Horseman Assn advocate the feeding of seed-free feed in pristine areas like parks and wilderness areas, as a matter of good stewardship.
Goatheads! ARGHHHH! I use a wheelchair to get around and if they are not sticking in my tires they are getting into my push gloves. Now that's something that gets your attention.
Yep! Mapelthorp beat you to it, didn't he.
I was blissfully ignorant of Goatheads until moving to the San Joaquin Valley. Shortly after moving here my daughter and I decided to go for a bike ride along the train tracks near our house. We limped home with 3 of 4 tires flat, and never knew what hit us.
Now I buy "Aramadillo" tires for her bike, and use a heavy duty tube, but it's still a losing battle if you ride directly through a bad patch of them.
Goatheads are the nastiest weed I've ever seen!
Yes, horse manure spreads manure seeds. As does most herbivore fecal matter.
What is wrong with you people? Just ask a horseman. Cheap. Even with a call to 1411 you spend maybe $1.39.
***The main weed I'm worried about is Goatheads! It's the spawn of Satan! Keep yer horses outta my garden! :)***
NO! NO! Not GOATHEADS! The worst thing about the American WEST! Worse than sandburs or ticks! The nightmare of my youth! GOATHEADS!
Basically "they just don't know poo poo"
Heh... me too.
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