Rangeland is the largest natural resource in the west and for most ranchers, it’s their largest financial asset. That’s why producers spend so much time, money and effort caring for it and trying to make the ground more productive. But rangelands in Montana and Wyoming are being threatened by the invasive annual grass ventenata.
First identified in the Northern Plains in the 1990s, the plant has started to spread quickly in the last 2-3 years. Last year, the Montana Department of Agriculture added ventenata to the Noxious Weed List and ranchers are being encouraged to learn to identify it.
The invasive weed looks similar to cheatgrass or Japanese brome but spreads even more quickly and is unpalatable to livestock. It doesn’t take long before an infestation can greatly decrease the productivity of an entire pasture.
To learn more about this new threat and what ranchers are doing to combat ventenata, check out the below video.
If you’re worried that you may have ventenata on your land, contact your local county weed coordinator. You can also find more help on identifying the plant here.
For more information on Rejuvra and how it can be used to control invasive grasses like ventenata and cheatgrass, visit Rejuvra.com. Time is of the essence now as producers need to treat affected areas this fall to be able to prevent these invasive grasses from taking hold next spring.
