Question: How do you handle prickly pear?

[Linda Coffey]

All, Happy Spring to you! In walking and admiring the growing grass, I am dismayed to see how much the prickly pear is increasing on our back 40; larger patches, and new patches. How do you all deal with this? My sheep are not grazing it. Thanks for any tips! I'm in Northwest Arkansas, and our soil is thin on this land. Linda Coffey

 

[Mike Thayer]

I have found the amount of prickly pear cactus varies from year to year to an extent. I have bush hogged mowed it, and I think that helps some. Be sure to not over graze the pasture. In past years, the Farm Service Agency had a cost share program to burn the needles off the cactus and cattle would eat it during extreme drought. I have not had any personal experience doing that, but apparently that is one method to utilize the cactus.

 

[Linda Coffey]

Thanks, Mike! Lee Rinehart had told me about burning the needles off; I can't imagine! Thanks for sharing your experience, I appreciate it.