A few weeks
ago someone told me that they had read a letter in the newspaper arguing that ragwort
is not poisonous to horses. Everything I
have read tells me this is not true and that ragwort IS POISONOUS TO HORSES, and anyway I am not willing to take the risk.
When I first
moved the horses to the field they are in now it was winter, but in the spring
it quickly became obvious that ragwort had been allowed to grow and seed in the
field in the past. As the seeds can lie
dormant for years it is going to be a constant battle even if I do dig it all
up every year that I see it. Each year a
plant or two pops up in a different area of the field and I have to dig it
up. As I walk the field fairly regularly
I keep an eye out for the rosettes that appear in their first growing
season.
If I miss
them in the first year and again early in the year (rarely) then there is no
chance of missing them once they flower and then I rush to get rid of it before
it seeds.
Ragwort
causes liver damage when eaten. If your horse eats small amounts over a long
period of time the toxic effects can build up causing the same effects as if he
ate a large quantity all at once. Unfortunately, there are often no signs
that anything is wrong until it is too late to help. The only option is
euthanasia.
Signs of
Liver damage (Ragwort poisoning)
Horses
become lethargic and depressed. They can
develop a yellow tinge to their gums and eyes (jaundice) and may become
photosensitive (pink skin becomes inflamed when exposed to sunlight – like
sunburn).
Horses with
liver damage often lose weight even when still eating well and develop
abdominal pains and diarrhoea. They can
become aggressive and show other behavioural changes such as loss of
coordination and seizures.
As the liver failure progresses horses may go
blind, fight to breathe, wander or stagger. Often symptoms can progress so
quickly that the first an owner knows of the problem is finding their horse
dead.
The best way
to prevent this is to remove all traces of the ragwort from your horses reach.
The Plant
Luckily ragwort
has an unpleasant taste, and most horses won’t eat it – but it is not worth the
risk. Young plants are less bitter and when ragwort dies it loses its
unpleasant taste. Therefore using a weed killer is not a safe option. It is
equally important to check your hay or haylage before feeding it to your horse.
- Ragwort rosettes can be
found from early spring onwards.
- Mature plants flower from
May to October and can reach up to two metres in height.
- After flowering, most of the
plants die and the seeds germinate in the area where the mature plant had
been.
- Each of the plants will
produce thousands of seeds
which will be dispersed by the wind, you or your animals.
Dealing with
Ragwort
Ragwort is
also harmful to humans. Make sure you wear protective gloves and cover your
arms and legs when handling it. If you do touch the plant then thoroughly wash
the area with warm soapy water.
The best way
to remove the plant is to pull the whole plant including the roots. It is best
to do this at the seedling or rosette stage. Pulling (or digging) the plant
after rainfall makes it easier because the ground will be softer. However, don't leave it until it is easier to
remove, dig it up immediately.
As ragwort can regenerate from any root
fragment it is essential to remove as much of the root as possible. There are
special forks available to help remove the roots. If possible remove the
ragwort before it flowers, if not use a face mask to avoid inhaling the pollen.
Specialist
sprays are now available for attacking a widespread infestation. Fields must
then be rested for the recommended time. DON’T FORGET that the dead plant is
still poisonous, so you must remove all traces before putting your horses back
out.
Disposal of
the Ragwort is again critical, the best and most effective way is to burn the
plant.
Key Points:
·
Ragwort
remains toxic when sprayed, cut, dug or pulled
·
Once cut the
flower can still set seed and these are still viable
·
In its fresh
(just cut) state it is difficult to burn
·
Can only be
composted in controlled conditions
·
Should only
be transported in sealed bags or containers
I find a few
plants in my field every year, I dig them up because the ground is always too
hard to pull them. I always wear gloves
and put them straight into a container to carry up the field. They then stay in the container whilst they
die and dry out before I burn the plants.
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Until next time!
Jo
