Found ragwort in the hay

Wooleysmum

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After 4 years of perfect hay we are finding the odd sprigs of dead ragwort. Just how poisonous is it?The horses seem to leave the sprigs in the nets so we hope they are not eating them. When we fill the nets we try to find it but cant! We are all happy on the farm and have to use the hay the farmer makes. We dont want to move. My Wooley is 23.
 

vivhewe

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Try and pull it out/avoid it - tis only poisonous when it's old and dead i.e. hay
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Bossanova

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Dont feed the hay- it's more palatable when dry so the horses may eat it.
It's not highly potent but it is poisonous and esp with an oldie, any damage to the liver could be very serious
 

TGM

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It is very poisonous and there is no way I would ever feed my horse hay that I knew contained ragwort. Here are a few quotes from a Google search:

"Ragwort poisoning destroys the liver, leading to slow, painful death "

"Once symptoms have appeared in an affected animal little can be done and it will usually die "

"Acts in a cumulative fashion - a small amount eaten over a period of time is just as damaging as one large dose"

"Animals eating 5 percent or more of their total daily diet of ragwort for periods exceeding 20 consecutive days can be expected to die within a 6-month period "

"Ragwort poisoning is an extremely dangerous condition in which horses start eating the ragwort plant (usually dried Ragwort). This usually happens when the plant is dried and gets mixed up in hay. "

"Ragwort is bitter when fresh but when cut and dried it looses this taste and it is easier for horses to eat it accidentally with hay. When included in hay cuttings Ragwort is particularly dangerous."
 

TGM

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[ QUOTE ]
tis only poisonous when it's old and dead i.e. hay
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[/ QUOTE ] That's not true - it is poisonous whether fresh or dried, but it becomes much more palatable to the horse when it is dry because it loses its bitter taste.
 

Happytohack

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
tis only poisonous when it's old and dead i.e. hay
crazy.gif


[/ QUOTE ] That's not true - it is poisonous whether fresh or dried, but it becomes much more palatable to the horse when it is dry because it loses its bitter taste.

[/ QUOTE ]

They don't usually eat it when it is growing as it has quite a pungent smell - when it is dry it loses its smell and they could easily eat it. I would never, ever feed hay that I suspected of containing ragwort. It is an offense to let it grow and should never ever be made into hay, especially when it is made for horses. I would suggest that you all get together and approach the farmer and tell him.
Years ago I was at a livery yard where they refused to pull the ragwort - one of the horses got ragwort poisoning, it was a horrible death and I held the horse while it was shot, it is something I have never ever forgotten. Please do not risk your horse.
 

hairycob

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Farm where we keep ours made his own hay last year (doesnt usually) - we checked it over before we used it & found ragwort. All the liveries got together & refused tu use it. If you stick together there is not much he can do. Also if it was in the field last year & has flowered & was not tackled there will be a lot more this year as it will have seeded. The really bad news is that if it flowered this year it was there the year before as it is biennial. Hoping it was first year plants you found. The farmer will need to get the proper weedkiller on the hay field in the spring.
 

hayleygunson

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Are you sure it's not docks? Mine always leave dock stalks if they are in hay, and I always check every 'stalk' thoroughly to make certain is isn't ragwort. If it IS ragwort, the leaves will have been distributed throughout the hay and quite probably ingested by the horses. This is very serious. Stop feeding the hay immediatedly and get in touch with the vet as it is a deadly plant, readily eaten when cut and dried as in hay.

I'm not sure where you stand legally regarding whoever made the hay with it in. I would be furious and fairly worried
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cazza

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As Merrymare has stated, we have docs in our haylage the horses are leaving these stalks at the bottom of their nets. I know we don't have any ragwort as my hubby and I went into the field and pulled up any stragglers. You may find it's just doc stalks. I don't know what ragwort looks like dried as we've always dug up any plants we've found.
 

Tia

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If you think it is ragwort, then my advice would be to forget about putting the hay in haynets. Take your sections to your stable and fluff out each and every section. Ragwort is generally very easy to find as it is stalky and tall. Pick it all out, as already stated, ragwort is incredibly poisonous dead or alive.

I would definitely tell the farmer of your findings and make sure that he takes better care with his harvest this year. And to be honest that goes for docks aswell - that's not good hay if it has all that rubbish growing in it.
 

Wooleysmum

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Told the farmer and wife( who runs the yard and has two ponies). She was horrified, put in new bales, seem ok. Still sifting through the hay though. They are reasonable people to deal with.
 
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