Ragwort

[MissRhianL 70]

There has recently been a great outbreak of alot of horses digesting Ragwort and causing them death in the short term, and its not just horses ive heard of a few goats have had the same problem to that have had Ragwort poisoning. It is a highly toxic plant that should be controlled by your local council. Not many people know who to complain to about the Ragwort so heres the link - http://www.defra.gov.uk/forms/2011/03/30/weed2-complaint/

[Millet 4,497]

I have noticed it everywhere at the moment it must be all the rain we have had..there is a field near me that has had all the horses took out as they is that much of it growing..

[skycat 6,173]

There's tons of it round here: and they've just mown it down on the field next to the lake where cattle have just been taken off: I was always told that even when dry and mixed in with hay it is still poisonous. I wonder how long it remains dangerous for: or does it rot down eventually and cease to cause problems?

[riohog 5,701]

There's tons of it round here: and they've just mown it down on the field next to the lake where cattle have just been taken off: I was always told that even when dry and mixed in with hay it is still poisonous. I wonder how long it remains dangerous for: or does it rot down eventually and cease to cause problems?

it needs to be pulled then burned ,only way to get rid of it

[The one 8,463]

Its every where here nobody bothers about it , right along the motorways etc , I heard the same as it was cut and turned into hay it became more palatable for stock .the gardeners at work are the only ones i know who pull it up with a fork . Then they said if it seeds the seeds can lie dormant for years on the soil ?.

[MissRhianL 70]

Thats the problem some people are having is finding the ragwort seeds amongst hay, i think if nothing is treated then it will eventually overtake most land not just grazing but could eventually end up in a hay field and before we know it, we will have yellow mountains

[bethanw 37]

animals wont eat it while it is standing if it is on hay fields best thing to do is spray it in may costs a bit but at least you can feed the fodder! if its cut with rag in it it still posiness.

[remi700 99]

I was always told that so long as its growing its not poisonous but when its cut and ferments it becomes poisonous. Dont know if thats correct or not. Seems to be a lot of it over here this year aswell.

[Hawkeye. 26]

Seem's to be a very prolific year for ragwort this year. If you have any growing on your land , you are obligated by law to get rid of it I believe. Non palatable when green and still growing but becomes palatable with increased TOXICITY when dried. Google it.

[ands 544]

I was always told that so long as its growing its not poisonous but when its cut and ferments it becomes poisonous. Dont know if thats correct or not. Seems to be a lot of it over here this year aswell.

Seem's to be a very prolific year for ragwort this year. If you have any growing on your land , you are obligated by law to get rid of it I believe. Non palatable when green and still growing but becomes palatable with increased TOXICITY when dried. Google it.

Spot on id say

[alimac 882]

Remi & hawkeye have got it right, fecking time consuming pulling it in the hunts paddocks, I think you get annual, biannual & triannual strains so at best it will take 3 years of pulling & burning to get ontop of.

[Flynn 314]

I dont think Horses or Ponies should grazed on pasture that has been cut containing ragwort for a Minimum of 10 years

[mattyv1433 8]

riohog is right , it needs pulling out and burning , ive just had a job on pulling it out of a cattle field , when pulled out make sure it is all taken away as when it is left out to rot it becomes more toxic

[desertdog 149]

cattle can eat it, because of the way they digest, horse cant, seen the lads on the common here from the council pulling it up, the fields by the river only ever have cattle in them and as soon as it gets to the point of when its going to seed the farmer tops it off, the trouble is the seeds get airbourne, and go who knows where.

[ferret100 47]

Ragwort is a right pain. Toxic whether fresh or dried. It needs pulled out before it flowers to save alot of bother. However, I cannot see any need to report Ragwort to a local council unless your livery yard refuses to deal with the issue. Even so, it's a private matter regarding the owner of the grounds. How did these horses and goats consume Ragwort?