MCPA weedkiller - how long before ponies can go back in field?

[Chumsmum]

As title, farmer has sprayed the nettles in my field with MCPA but I'm struggling to find out how long I need to leave it before I can move my ponies back on it? Can I leave the rapidly wilting nettles in the field?

They are currently on another small previously ungrazed section and are piling the weight on so I'm having to bring them in at night atm which isn't great for one who has Bone Spavin

Ponies are all used to being out 24/7 so giving me the evils when I bring them in at night

 

[dwi]

Does it not say on the packet?

 

[Chumsmum]

I've asked farmer what it says on packet but he wasn't really sure (it's probably been distilled in to other containers or something

) - he said they wouldn't normally bother moving the sheep off but didn't want to kill my ponies..

I've tried googling it but can't find it.

 

[palomino698]

There are lots of results if you Google "MCPA nettles graze", search UK sites as advice varies widely from country to country! Depends really whether he used it in combination with something like 2,4D, and at what concentration it was used.

The general recommendation is not to graze for 7 days (though if the field had ragwort it should be left at least four weeks for it to disintegrate). Wilted nettles are attractive to horses so I'd probably prefer to give it another week even if they are the only weeds being treated.

 

[Chumsmum]

Thanks for info, I was a little confused about the differences but it makes more sense now you mention the combinations.

We guessed two weeks, was hoping sooner but dare not risk it. No ragwort in field thankfully.

 

[Patches]

We have bottles of this, the label states FOURTEEN DAYS withdrawal of animals from land.

Obviously you'd also need to remove poisonous plants which may become palatable after spraying to horses.


(We tend not to use it on the grazing land, just the silage land, as 14 days can be too long a time in some instances to keep stock off after spraying).

 

[Chumsmum]

Thanks for info, as we suspected. Ponies will have to keep coming in at night for a couple more days but should have grazed it down enough by then to stay out 24/7. They can't believe their luck at the lush grass, Chum trotted down to field this morning, he normally does turnout at snail's pace

As nettles are not poisonious, will it be okay to leave them? There are loads of them

 

[Patches]

As it's safe to graze the grass after fourteen days, I can't see why it wouldn't be safe to eat the nettles too. You might be surprised by how much they'd wilted and shrivelled up by then though.

I sprayed my docks 11 days ago and they're just crunchy brown blobs in the ground now....if nettles do the same, they'll not be much left to eat.

I do believe the bottles states AT LEAST 14 days. It's quite a potent weedkiller as most are only 7 day exclusion of stock.

 

[Chumsmum]

Okay, will check farmer has sprayed as per instructions etc. Ponies have got plenty of grass (that's the problem) so will be okay on other grazing for longer if need be, I'm just paranoid about colic and laminitis etc.

It certainly is potent, nettles are wilting straightaway!

I'm sure farmer said he normally leaves his sheep in the field