Grass Awn Vs Foxtail

This is why foxtail is typically a problem for the second hay.

Grass awn vs foxtail.

Foxtails are the common name for the grass awns seen in the western united states. Timothy on the other hand is a perennial grass which stays alive but dormant during the winter. The foxtail season is here. The foxtail plant is a grass like weed.

Foxtail is an annual type of grass that rears its head in the summer months. Cheatgrass is another type of grass awn known to be dangerous to dogs health. The species of grass awn varies across the united states with hordeum common in the west stipaand seteria in the south and avena reported in parts of europe. Also known as grass awns the foxtail weed can be hazardous to your lawn as well as your pets.

If hay is made off a field that is contaminated with foxtail grass it increases the chance that the animal may contact the grass awn at any point that the hay is fed. The seed heads of this grass have a needle like bristle at the tip of each seed called an awn which can be dangerous for livestock and pets because awns can work their way into the animals mouth nose eyes and digestive systems. Foxtail plants can be risky for your dog. Every spring brings lovely weather new plant life cycle wildflowers and foxtail seeds.

Movement from the dog allows the grass awn to pierce the dog s skin becoming embedded due to the barbs. Further motion enables the grass awn to migrate. An oral grass awn foreign. Whether you call them awns mean seeds timothy foxtails cheat grass june grass downy brome or any other number of colloquial names to dogs they generally mean one thing and that s trouble.

Grass family poaceae reasons for concern. Foxtail barley foxtail scientific name. An awn is a hairy or bristle like appendage growing from the ear or flower of barley rye and many types of widely growing grasses. The barbed seed heads of the foxtail plant can work their way into any part of your dog or cat from the nose to between the toes and inside the ears eyes and mouth they can even simply dig themselves directly into a patch of skin.

To come back year after year it drops hundreds and hundreds of seeds into the soil. Foxtail is an annual grass that germinates in the spring when soil temperature averages 65 degrees for three consecutive days.