Ragwort

[Triptych]

A field I regularly pass in the car often has a number of horses in it, but today I noticed it's also full of ragwort. Now I've always been led to believe that ragwort is extremely dangerous to horses. The horses themselves always look in good condition and there's often, perhaps rather worringly, a couple of foals in there too. I have no idea who the horses belong to, so what should I do? Should I report them to someone, and if so who to?

 

[krizon]

I expect that Songsheet will have the best answer, as she has to deal with it herself, Trips. Meanwhile, I imagine a call to any branch of the ILPH, RSPCA or similar animal welfare org. will give you some advice.

 

[Skyliner]

Ragwort is dangerous to horses but only when its dead. I think its illeagal not to do anything if your a landowner and you have it on your land but Im not 100% sure on that. I would have no idea who you could report it to though. Luckily horses dont seem to eat it unless theres nothing else to eat.

 

[Melendez]

I'd imagine reporting it to the owners would be the first step. I can't see they would have too much interest in racking up vets fees.

 

[Kathy]

Sorry, the whole page reads as follows....I hope this helps?

Taken from http://www.kirkleesmc.gov.uk/community/env...gwortweed.shtml so alot of the contact information relates specifically to Kirklees.

How to identify common Ragwort ?
Flowering stems are produced from late June onwards. These are between 30-100 cm tall carrying dense flat topped clusters of bright yellow daisy like flower heads each 1.5 - 2.5 cm across. The leaves on the mature plants are divided into narrow lobes with the bases clasping to the non woody main stem. The flowering stems die back after producing seeds, each plant being capable of producing up to 150,000 seeds.

Why should I be concerned about Ragwort ?
The Defra Code of Practice issued by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs on how to prevent the spread of common ragwort aims to define the situations where there is a likelihood of common ragwort spreading to neighbouring land where it will present an identifiable risk of ingestion by vulnerable grazing animals.

Under the Weeds Act 1959 the occupier of land should take action to prevent the spread of common ragwort.

The Code does not seek to eradicate ragwort as it very important plant for wildlife in the UK as it supports a wide variety of invertebrates and is also a major source of nectar for many insects , but to prevent its spread to areas that pose a high risk of poisoning to livestock in fields or areas used for the production of forage.


Assesment of risks
Where common ragwort is present on land the owner of the land should make an assessment to determine whether action should be taken to prevent the spread onto neighbouring land by establishing the risk posed to animals or forage production.

Three risk categories are used to assess risk, these are:
High risk - Common ragwort is present and flowering/seeding within 50 m of land used for grazing by horses or land used for forage production
Medium risk - Common ragwort is present within 50 - 100m
Low risk - Common ragwort or the land infected is more than 100m from land used for grazing by horses or land used for forage production is present.
However these distances are only guidelines when assessing the risk, as prevailing winds and topography can affect the likelihood of it spreading to neighbouring land.

Action & control of common Ragwort
Where a high risk of spread has been identified the owners of the land should put in place and implement a ragwort control policy to take into account vegetation management , nature conservation status and biodiversity attributes of the land . Immediate action to control the spread should be taken using appropriate control measures. The land should be monitored for the effectiveness of the clearance for up to six months or until the end of the growing season.

Where a medium risk of spread has been identified, a control policy should be established to ensure that where a change from medium to high risk of spread can be anticipated it is identified and dealt with in a timely and effective manner.

Where a low risk of spread has been identified no immediate action is required. Where a low risk is identified but the presence of ragwort is likely to present a risk in the future, contingency plans should be prepared for its control.

Cutting - emergency treatment to prevent seeding, it is essential to cut before seed heads are mature as upto 150 000 seeds can be produced from one plant. All cut material should be disposed of correctly as seed can still be set and foliage continue to cause a danger to animals and it should be removed from the area. Gloves must be worn.

Levering and pulling - Loosen and dig/pull up plants before seed heads mature, best results are obtained when soil is moist, all material should be removed as above. Pulling alone can cause the plant to break off, and leave the rosette in the ground ready to grow again. Gloves must be worn. Probably one of the best controls but very labour intensive. All material removed should sealed in plastic bags for landfill or proper incineration (improper burning can spread the seed ).Transporting pulled ragwort should be in a sealed container or well covered to prevent the spread of any seed.

Spraying - should be done in April or May prior to the flowering stage using the appropriate chemical and spraying equipment for the area to be treated. With small infestations spot treatment with a selective or glysophate based weedkiller. Boom spraying to fields or paddocks prior to flowering using a proprietary selective weedkiller, however most products also kill other broad leaved plants. Blanket wipes with proprietary selective weedkiller to the taller plants is more beneficial to the field or paddock.

 

[Shadow Leader]

I'd suggest doing as Mel suggests and contacting the owners (they may not be aware either of ragwort or its potential as a poison) - as Skyliner says, by law landlords are now obliged to remove ragwort from any grazing land. It is indeed dangerous to horses - lethal in fact, when it is eaten dead. Horses tend to have the sense not to touch it or pull it up but that is not the point - it should be removed anyway. Just a thought too - are you certain it is ragwort, Triptych? There are some weeds that look very similar to ragwort, having the small clusters of yellow flowers.

 

[BrianH]

I remember a very similar thread in the old Channel 4 days. That's where I learned of the dangers of ragwort.

 

[Shadow Leader]

....and stopped smoking the stuff from thereon in.

 

[Sara]

Originally posted by Skyliner@Jul 27 2006, 12:56 PM
Ragwort is dangerous to horses but only when its dead. I think its illeagal not to do anything if your a landowner and you have it on your land but Im not 100% sure on that. I would have no idea who you could report it to though. Luckily horses dont seem to eat it unless theres nothing else to eat.

Ragwort used to be a 'notifiable weed' ie it was incumbent on any landowner on whose land it had been reported, to get rid of it. Sadly, our townie Govts of all stripes let that go by the wayside only a few years ago, with visible consequences. The EU wheeze of 'set-aside' which can't be touched or sprayed has greatly exacerbated the problem.

It's probably poisonous in the field, but horses avoid it in the field; tho I certainly would never put foals in a field with it growing. The main problem occours if it gets into a hayfield and is cut and baled with the hay. It attacks horses' livers and is always lethal, tho it's so slow-acting, by the time symptoms appear it's too late to help the horse.

I always pull it up iff I can - it's a bi-annual, so contrary to legend, it can be got rid of... the main thing is to stop it seeding as each plant carries millions of seeds and they carry very easily in eg the airflow from car/lorry wheels.

It should albe reported to the local council and to the landowner. Letters to the local paper are a good idea, to raise awareness. There's always a lot growing around the outkirts of Newmarket, where you'd think they'd know better... In fact, the people to pressurise are DEFRA, but what hope do we have they will take it seriously? OK, end of rant - but this is one thing which does madden me.

 

[trudij]

nicked this from the BHS website.....

Ragwort - The Problem, The Law and Control Techniques
This article is supplied by AgResource Ltd who provide the BHS a free telephone helpline to help
horse owners decide on their best ragwort control strategy. For further information on ragwort control or
paddock maintenance please ring AgResource on 01926 633099 or alternatively send an email to
enquiries@agresource.co.uk. AgResource also offers BHS members a product supply service.
Ragwort – The Problem
Ragwort is a native species to the British Isles, and is a weed specified
under the Weeds Act 1959.
Ragwort contains alkaloid toxins that, if eaten by horses or
any grazing animal, can have debilitating or fatal consequences. The
highest concentration of toxin is found in the pollen, then in order, the
leaves, stems and roots. The effect of the toxin is cumulative and
irrevocable, and as it builds up in the body results in liver failure. The
build up is undetectable until it finally reaches the critical level at which
symptoms occur.
Prof. Derek Knottenbelt of Liverpool University, speaking at the recent
BHS Ragwort Awareness Conference in London, indicated that there is
now evidence that humans may also be at serious risk from ragwort
poisoning through direct contact such as hand pulling without wearing
protective gloves, or breathing in high quantities of pollen. For this
reason it is essential that anyone handling ragwort minimises skin
contact and wears rubber gloves, and if in regular contact with flowering
ragwort, a dusk mask with a pollen filter
Ragwort – The Law
All land-owners have a responsibility to control the spread of ragwort
2005 saw the most noticeable infestations of ragwort for many years. Both the Weeds Act 1959 and the
Ragwort Control Act 2003, supported by DEFRA’s Code of Practice (2004), seek to control the spread of
ragwort and the land occupier must have a control policy in place wherever ragwort poses a high or
medium risk to grazing animals or to land for forage production.
High Risk
Ragwort is present and flowering/seeding within 50m of land used for grazing by horses/other animals or
for forage production. In this case immediate action to control the ragwort must be taken.
Medium Risk
Ragwort is present and flowering/seeding within 50m to 100m of land used for grazing by horses/other
animals or for forage production. In this case the occupier must put an action plan and control policy into
place for control of the ragwort.
Low Risk
Ragwort is present and flowering/seeding more than 100m from land used for grazing by horses/other
animals or for forage production. In this case no immediate action to control the ragwort needs be taken,
but the occupier must ensure that ragwort plants are disposed of in an appropriate manner.
The distances given above are guidelines only and when assessing risk, account should be also be
taken of particular local circumstances and other relevant factors such as prevailing winds, topography,
shelter belts, natural barriers, soil type and vegetation cover of receiving land. Whether or not the density
of ragwort is high or low, the risk factor will be determined by the likelihood of it spreading to land used
for grazing and/or feed/forage production.
AgResource ©2006 All trademarks duly acknowledged AgResource HelpLine Telephone 01926 633099
Code of Practice on how to prevent the spread of Ragwort: DEFRA June 2004.
Enforcement is ultimately undertaken by DEFRA. Responsibility for ragwort control lies as follows:
Private and commercial property, agricultural land: The land-owner occupier/tenant.
Motorways and trunk roads: Highways Agency
All other public roads: Local Highways Authority
Railway land: Network Rail
Canals and towpaths: British Waterways
SSSI: Owner/Occupier
National Nature Reserves: English Nature/Owner/Occupier
Local Nature Reserves: Owner/Occupier
Common areas/common and: Local Authority/Owner
Ministry of Defence (MoD) land: MoD
Development land: Owner/Occupier
Parish/Town/Community Council land: Parish/Town/Community Council
Private woodland/forestry: Owner/Occupier
Forestry (Forest Enterprise): Forest Enterprise
RAGWORT BIOLOGY – Understanding this helps control tactics
There are FOUR widespread species of ragwort in the UK. All are poisonous to grazing animals,
although law only refers to Common Ragwort.
Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea
Habitat:
Widespread.
Often abundant in poor soils, dry sandy or chalky
grassland and on dunes.
Flowers:
June to September
Identification:
Biennial, unless constantly cut when can change
growth habit to perennial. Branched 2-4 ft. high
Flower heads large (1”) yellow daisy-like flattopped
in clusters
Leaves deeply pinnately lobed, the lobes toothed
with small blunt end lobe.
AgResource ©2006 All trademarks duly acknowledged AgResource HelpLine Telephone 01926 633099
Marsh Ragwort Senecio aquaticus
Habitat:
Widespread
Frequent in wet meadows.
Flowers: June to August
Identification:
Shorter (2ft high) than Common Ragwort
More widely branched and less stiff
Flower heads much larger than common ragwort,
(over 1 inch across) and in broader, looser clusters
Leaves glossier mostly with a large end lobe and
much smaller forward-pointing side-lobes
Oxford Ragwort Senecio squalidas
Habitat:
Spreading rapidly countrywide.
Increasingly found in walls, waysides, railway
banks, waste and cultivated ground.
Flowers:
April onwards - much earlier than common ragwort
Identification:
About 1 foot high, branched, straggling and much
shorter than Common Ragwort
Flower heads ¾ Inch, yellow, rays minutely
notched
Leaves glossy and virtually hairless. Structure
varies from deeply pinnately lobed to undivided
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Hoary Ragwort Senecio erucifolius
Habitat:
Widespread
Mostly on clay or chalk in S & E England.
Flowers:
July onwards - later than Common Ragwort
Identification:
2-3 feet high. Less bushy, more erectly branched
and greyer than Common Ragwort.
Flowers smaller, paler yellow than Common Ragwort
Leaves smaller, more deeply and narrowly lobed,
with the end lobe narrow and pointed. Cottony down
on underside of leaves.
Very short creeping runners
Common Ragwort has a cunning plan to ensure its future survival
Ragwort has developed a number of ways to ensure survival of future generations. By understanding
these we can best devise ways of treating the problem to reduce its population.
Ragwort regenerates from both SEED and ROOT FRAGMENTS
1. Common ragwort is naturally a biennial, but changes to a perennial if constantly cut.
2. One plant can produce 150,000 seeds
3. Seeds of 2 types: heavy ones to drop near to parent plant and regenerate locally, and ones with
hairs that can travel in the wind for distances of up to 80 metres.
4. Seeds can lay dormant for 20 years. At the end of that time 70% are still viable.
5. Cutting / pulling when plants are flowering, even with immature flowers, can result in viable seed
being shed. Flowers present when stems are cut and left will produce viable seeds.
6. Seeds also travel long distances in water.
7. Seedlings germinate when soil disturbed / cultivated / poached, even in worm casts.
8. Rosettes re-grow from1cm+ root fragments left after plants pulled or dug.
AgResource ©2006 All trademarks duly acknowledged AgResource HelpLine Telephone 01926 633099
RAGWORT - CONTROL TECHNIQUES:
All control techniques should be accompanied by good grass and soil management practices to maintain
drainage and encourage a dense vigorous grass sward. This is essential to reduce the open areas in
which ragwort seedlings will rapidly re-establish. Because the soil seed burden is high it is important to
expect rapid re-infestation in reseeded areas.
OPTIONS
Grazing with sheep
This technique is used by some farmers as winter / spring grazing by sheep weakens plants. However
sheep grazing will not eliminate ragwort and the risk to the health of animals on heavily infested fields
means that leading vets now discourage this technique.
Digging, hand-pulling or mechanical pulling
These are all options, but all methods allow potential re-growth from detached roots left in the soil. Tools
such as ragforks can help improve the chances of root removal. This is best done when soil is wet to
minimise root fracture. Second year plants must be removed from site before flowering as in addition
to increasing risk of seed regeneration it also increases the risk to operator from alkaloid toxin exposure
in the pollen as well as from the leaves and stems. Operators handling ragwort must wearing suitable
protective clothing i.e. skin covered up, neoprene / rubber gloves, and pollen mask if the plants are
flowering.
Chemical treatment
Effective control requires a minimum 2-year spray eradication program with applications twice a year
in the autumn and spring. Sprays should be targeted at seedlings or 1st year rosettes wherever
possible as higher levels of control are achieved from each application, the smaller plants rot down more
quickly (allowing livestock back into the area sooner), and less chemical is required minimising the effect
on the environment.
When treating ragwort in grass intended for conservation (e.g. as hay / silage) autumn treatment is
always the preferred timing, as spring treatment may not leave sufficient time for the dead ragwort to rot
away completely before the grass is cut and baled.
AgResource ©2006 All trademarks duly acknowledged AgResource HelpLine Telephone 01926 633099
Ragwort chemicals largely require the grass must be established for 12 months before treatment which
means that the ragwort is likely to be very early Year 2 stage at application. To get maximum levels of
control it is essential to apply treatments as soon as the grass is 12 months old and before the ragwort
develops into a large 2nd year plant.
Chemicals may be applied as overall treatments using a tractor and sprayer, or as spot treatments using
a knapsack sprayer. In either case it should be noted that many herbicides require the operator to have a
professional licence for application.
Spot Treatment
Glyphosate (e.g. Monsanto Roundup). This is a non-selective total herbicide and will kill any green
material that it is in contact with. As such it is inadvisable to use in a pasture where the weed requires
killing, but the grass does not!
Barrier H, based on citronella oil, is very useful as a contact rosette treatment for lower infestation levels.
Application must be to a dry leaf, with no rain for 12 hours. Action is extremely rapid, with activity
apparent after just a few hours. Animals must be kept out of treated areas for two weeks, by which
time the treated 1st year rosette plants will have rotted down completely. If larger 2nd tear rosettes have
been treated these will be dead after 2weeks, but being much larger plants will have more material to rot
down, particularly if the production of woody flowering stems has started. If required rather than waiting
after 2 weeks for the dead material to rot down completely, these large dead 2nd year plants may be
physically picked off after 2 weeks. Any root system left behind will be dead and non-viable.
Barrier H is available by carrier from AgResource - Telephone 01926 633099 for more information.
Barrier H is pre-mixed in a Ready-to-Use 5L container and comes
complete with a spray gun attachment on the can, so the operator does
not need separate application equipment. It is designed for quick
accurate application.
Each pack will treat up to 1600 seedlings or small rosette size plants
and will kill out all aerial shoots as well as the root. It is best used on
small rosettes (< 15-20 cm) and because it does not require active
growth of ragwort to work it may be applied at any time of year provided
ragwort leaves are dry & there is no rain for 24 hours.
Applications are best made to 1st year rosettes in the spring (Mar-June)
or autumn (Sept-early Nov). If spring timing missed and 2nd year plants
are visible and starting to produce a flowering shoot, pull out the mature
plants & burn them. Young plants will quickly re-grow from root
fragments and these can then be treated with Barrier H.
The rapid speed of action means that if Barrier H is used on flowers, the
seed is made non-viable.
Overall Treatment
Products are based on the active ingredient 2,4-D (e.g. UPL Dioweed 50). 2,4-D is occasionally tankmixed
or co-formulated with other ragwort active herbicides, namely MCPA or dicamba.
Herbicide treatments should always be targeted during the first season’s growth when rosettes will be
smaller and more easily controlled. A programmed approach, spraying the ragwort area in the autumn
and again the following spring, is always preferable to a single spring treatment. A single application will
AgResource ©2006 All trademarks duly acknowledged AgResource HelpLine Telephone 01926 633099
typically give 60 per cent to 80 per cent control, whereas a two-spray programme will result in control
levels approaching 100 per cent.
As the herbicides move in the plant’s sap, they require good active weed growth – i.e. temperatures over
10°C - for proper movement within the plant to the their point of activity. They must be applied to a dry
leaf, and because it takes time for the chemical to move across the leaf surface to be safely inside the
plant, there must be no rainfall for six hours after application.
NB: As ragwort’s palatability increases as it dies after treatment, grazing animals must be kept out of
treated areas until the ragwort is completely rotted so as to be dead and inedible.
For complete safety all dead and wilted ragwort plants should be removed and disposed of carefully.
However, sometimes this is impractical and, in general, grazing animals will not touch well rotted plants.
Although the product label may state a stock withdrawal period of two weeks after treatment, it may
actually be as long as six weeks after application before the ragwort has rotted down completely and
stock may therefore be reintroduced to the field.
Intracrop Solar - new adjuvant chemistry to help selective translocated herbicide activity
A recent introduction in the war against ragwort is a new adjuvant (Intracrop Solar) that aids the
activity of translocated herbicides such as 2,4-D , MCPA and dicamba on ragwort. Intracrop Solar
mixed with the herbicide before application, improves the herbicide’s coverage of the weed, and helps its
movement across the leaf surface and within the plant. Results both in independent trials and field use
have been very impressive with excellent improvements achieved in herbicidal activity and control. The
following independent trial illustrates the improvement in control achieved from using Solar, even with
reduced rates of ragwort herbicides. The results achieved with the highest rates of herbicide, as applied
for example in amenity grassland, are outstanding.
Herbicide activity trial courtesy of Intracrop: Copyright 2005.
The effect of Intracrop Solar® applied @ 0.1% volume (i.e.
200ml/200L) with 2,4-D (+/- MCPA) for ragwort control
Applied 15 Dec Ragwort rosettes 20-25cm Assessed 8 WAA
Trial NDSM 2005
All trade marks acknowledged
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85
2300g 2,4-D (as 4.6L Dioweed 50 ®)
% control
1150g 2,4-D (as 2.3L Dioweed 50 ®)+ Solar®) 200ml
2300g 2,4-D (as 4.6L Dioweed 50 ®) + Solar®) 200ml
1260g 2,4D + 1100g MCPA (as 3.5L Headland Polo ®)
630g 2,4D + 550g MCPA (as 1.75L Headland Polo®) + Solar®) 200ml
1260g 2,4D + 1100g MCPA (as 3.5L Headland Polo®) + Solar®) 200ml
AgResource ©2006 All trademarks duly acknowledged AgResource HelpLine Telephone 01926 633099

Sorry - its massive !!!!

 

[Songsheet]

Spooky again - went to Salisbury today and passed a field knee high in ragwort with a couple of ponies grazing in it... I do have some ragwort here in a special wildlife area near the house called 'Chinampa', as it also houses the reed bed which acts as the sewage unit. It's not the common ragwort (as if!!!) but the marsh one - they're all poisonous. That area is never grazed or mowed though.

Horrible plant in the wrong place.

 

[Skyliner]

Massive doesnt do it justice.

We pull our ragwort at home and this year we hardly had any which on 200acres isnt bad going. It took two afternoons of me and mum scrabling up and down banks to get it all pulled (hopefully all we havent seen any more yet.)

 

[krizon]

I note that it says it can regrow from root fragments, and that operators pulling the stuff up should wear neoprene gloves and other protective gear. Blimey - it's a bit of a bugger, innit? The Kray Gang of the weed world.

 

[Skyliner]

Ive never used anything protective does that mean im going to come down with some incurable illness. I did know it was important to get it out by the roots which isnt the easyest thing in the world to do. The joys of being a farmers daughter.

 

[walsworth]

Where I live on the outskirts of a small market town there is a field with 4 or 5 horses in it, mostly old riding ponies (about the same age as me in horse years). this field does have a significant amount of ragwort in it, which the owners do try to get rid of just before it seeds. I didn't realise that it was biennial & maybe they don't. It may be better to identify the first year growth & dig that up? Easier said than done I realise.
The strange thing is that literally on the other side of the road there is a meadow with cows in it and there is no ragwort at all.

 

[Soba]

My OH say's i am obsessed with this stuff but it is not worth risking leaving it.

I am forever checking our fields and paddocks for it, plus i go round to a friends to help her each year. Her fields this year took us 3 solid days to do, i swear it is worse than ever.

The worst part though is when i walk down the lane we live on looking for it so it doesn't spread, all gloved up with my fork, black bag and very big lethal looking knife. The thing is we have recently got a new estate built near to us with happy family folk walking up and down it taking in 'the countryside' To see their faces when they see the knife is priceless. Some quick ragwort explaining is always needed i tell you! Plus the shoppers going to Junction One always look twice at me :huh:

Not too sure if they like me after that h34r:

 

[krizon]

Soba - try removing the black balaclava before addressing the newbies - that usually breaks the ice much quicker! h34r: