[fifixx]

I have a small paddock which has been taken over on one side by thistles.  However, I notice that the goats love thistly hay - so will it be OK to cut and bale it even if very weedy?  only thistles and docks in the grass

[shep53]

Dont know about goats but sheep dont like dead thistles or docks in hay but will nibble both while  growing also if you handle dead thistles in hay they hurt

[Fleecewife]

Last years hay which we cut on our friends land had thistles in.  As Shep53 says, sheep don't like dry thistles, although they relish the spikiest growing ones.  More to the point is that while the hay is drying, so are the thistle heads so that when you feed the hay you are also spreading thistle seeds all over your pasture.  We hand weed spear thistle here and mow creeping thistle so we are gradually getting on top of the problem, so we definitely don't want to import more seeds.  As we open each bale so we collect up all the thistle heads and spiky bits into a bucket for burning

[jaykay]

if you handle dead thistles in hay they hurt

They do! I'll never forget our first year here, when we were sold rubbishy, thistly hay. My poor hands - and the ewes poor mouths 
After that first lambing we were deemed to 'belong', our neighbour had words with the thistly hay supplier and we have never been sold anything other than good quality hay ever since 

[waterhouse]

Our sheep don't touch live thistles or nettles but eat docks happily

[Sylvia]

I wish mine wold eat both I'm just waiting for my ship to come in and I'll have all my land ploughed and re-seeded