Do grazing animals and wildlife eat noxious weeds?
This depends on the animal and the type of weed. Rarely do animals prefer to eat noxious weeds. Most often on pastures infested with weeds, the animals will graze the desirable vegetation, causing an increase in the problem weeds.

Elk prefer native forbs and grasses and will starve to death on ranges infested with Spotted knapweed and Leafy spurge. Doves readily eat and distribute Leafy spurge seeds. Leafy spurge can be grazed by sheep, but is toxic to cattle and horses can eat Musk thistle blooms, while Russian knapweed is toxic to them.

Show All Answers

1. Why does Spokane County have a Noxious Weed Control Board and what does it do?
2. How is Weed Control Enforced?
3. How is the Program Funded?
4. Noxious Weed List
5. What do I do if my neighbor has weeds and isn't doing anything about them?
6. I have some weeds growing on my property and I am not sure if they are noxious or not, can someone come look at them and tell me what they are and how to get rid of them?
7. Is the Noxious Weed Board the agency that controls weeds on the County's right-of-way?
8. Why do I have a weed charge on my tax statement?
9. What should I spray my weeds with?
10. Why are noxious weeds considered a material defect to my property?
11. How do I get a Pesticide License?
12. Do grazing animals and wildlife eat noxious weeds?
13. Will mowing alone control my noxious weeds?
14. I'm not going to worry about my weeds and let nature takes it course and leave my land "natural"; is this acceptable?
15. I don't want to spray my weeds because herbicides are very toxic and will remain in the soil where they are sprayed; is this acceptable?