Reducing foxtail grass in pasture

A few years ago my boyfriend and I bought a house with 5 acres in Central California. We put a ton of work into it and we love what we turned it into so far, including a large garden, small orchard, many additional drought and heat resistant trees, owl boxes, bee hives, free range chickens etc. At some point we'd like to consider adding a small amount of livestock, possibly just 2 donkeys. However, the pasture areas are largely taken over by foxtail grass (I think brome grass? I know there are different grasses that people call foxtails. This one can't be managed by mowing as it only leads to it growing seeds from a tiny low stem). We also had a huge problem with goatheads (puncture vine) initially, but that's improved a LOT by letting the pasture grow tall instead of tilling it into a dirt space like the previous owner was doing, and pulling whatever goatheads do still pop up. With the foxtails I'm kinda stumped as there are way too many to pull, I'd like to avoid spraying chemicals, and I know they would be a risk for any grazing animals. I'm thinking of broadcasting additional seeds when the rainy season starts up again in the fall to try and crowd them out, but not really sure what seeds or if that would be effective. I'd like to at least significantly reduce them and realize I may never get fully rid of them as seeds will keep flying in from neighboring properties. We did have a patio area where our dogs run free and after a few foxtail related vet visits we got rid of the foxtails in that area by applying a thick area of mulch, but we can't do that on the whole 5 acres. Any other suggestions, ideally from sometime who actually successfully tackled a foxtail pasture like that? Thanks!!

It's rather impossible to eradicate it, because it took over entire California. My sheep graze on it, I increased diversity of my plants in my orchard by rototilling the grasses before they produce seeds, so the natives have chance to develop. I have less foxtails than before.

Cristobal Cristo wrote:It's rather impossible to eradicate it, because it took over entire California. My sheep graze on it, I increased diversity of my plants in my orchard by rototilling the grasses before they produce seeds, so the natives have chance to develop. I have less foxtails than before.

Thank you. I'd be happy with diminishing rather than eradicating them. My dogs had big vet bills related to the seeds, and I'd rather not risk repeating that if I get donkeys. Have your sheep had problems with the foxtails?

The plants I know of as foxtail are Setaria or wild millet. In my climate they are only present very early in succession and are quickly swamped out by perennials. They thrive on disturbance and I have seen them make tiny seed heads like you mention. They love the sides of roads and agricultural fields.

When Fukuoka was in California he got rid of foxtail seeds in the soil by watering them before the rains set in. The seeds germinated and then died in the dry. Then they might have sowed vegetables and native grasses for the rains to come and bring into life. I think it’s in The Road Back to Nature.

Hans Schin wrote:Have your sheep had problems with the foxtails?

Never. I have St Croix sheep.

Maieshe Ljin wrote:When Fukuoka was in California he got rid of foxtail seeds in the soil by watering them before the rains set in. The seeds germinated and then died in the dry.

It sounds like a smart approach. however I have noticed that they don't want to germinate when it's hot at my location. For example around the irrigated trees I see only natives growing during dry season and very small number of foxtails.

What I know as foxtail grasses have an annual growth habit, therefore, suppressing them might involve growing perennial grasses and wildflowers.