Oil Seed Rape crop - OK to nibble?

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Orangehorse

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There is some grass I would like to move my horses to, but it is alongside a growing oilseed rape crop. It is probable that the horses would nibble at the leaves. I know it is the cabbage family, but is it OK for horses to eat?
 
Coming from the farming side, I wouldn't have your horses in a field running alongside an oilseed rape field, the fertilisers and herbicides which at this time of year are regularly applied to the crop would not be any good for your horse one bit, unless you can talk to the farmer and find out when he's applying it to section your horses into an area of the field away for the crop for a few days I wouldn't risk it
 
I presume your horses will be fenced off the OSR? The farmer wouldn't appreciate your horses eating it - pigeons are bad enough! I doubt they will eat it though, even deer and hares don't, and pigeons only eat it when the tastier stuff has gone.
 
Though am sure I seen someing on a certain. Farming forum that stated they can't spray so close to grazing land I maybe wrong tho and that included sheep and cattle can't see it being any different for horses n
 
Surely you would fence your horse so it can't lean over and eat it? That is what I would do, you have the responsibility to fence against your own stock. I have also had a horse who was allergic to osr, but he has been the only one in many years. However I wouldn't use that as a reason to go/not go for the field as chances are it won't be osr again for a few years due to crop rotation.
 
adamntitch said:
Though am sure I seen someing on a certain. Farming forum that stated they can't spray so close to grazing land I maybe wrong tho and that included sheep and cattle can't see it being any different for horses n
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I know nothing about this but just wanted to say if its true don't lump horses in with sheep and cows, those are in the food chain, horses aren't so the rules could be different.
 
My mare suffered from horrendous photosensitivity last summer and was hospitalised for tests and a liver biopsy. Everything came back normal, and it can only be assumed she'd been eating something she shouldn't. I was given a long list of plants to look out for her in her field, and rape was on the list.
 
I went on a hack last summer and my horse ate what I think was either oats or barley that was growing from a field (only a mouthful stem and husks). When we got back to the yard he came out in the mother of all rashes. The only thing that could have caused it was the barley/oats he ate and I assumed it was the herbicide on them. So I would say no.

Dogs have been known to have been poisioned in oil seed rape fields, apparently the pollen from the plant can cause serious problems with muscle damage which has resulted in death of the dog.
 
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