Ragwort alert.

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Sugarplum Furry

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I dug up nearly a whole barrow of ragwort rosettes that were coming up my fields this morning. I can't believe it's got the nerve to come up this early, and this fast!! I cleared the whole of my grazing absolutely religously last year, it's so worrying, especially this time of year when the grass hasn't come through yet.......on the other hand it's very easy to spot at the moment. I'll be doing the rounds again tomorrow morning with me barrow, I bet more will have come up overnight!
 
THe seeds can still germinate up to 20 yrs after dropping - I read up on it a few years ago (think it's 20- could have been 10- it's a long time anyway!) when on a yard where they made own hay and I found it in the hay. Horse on yard had died of liver condition and my horses bloods showed liver problem. Moved! My horse bloods recovered.

They tend not to eat it fresh as it's too bitter, but will eat it in hay when dry. Just make sure you get it all before it seeds. And clear hay fields just ferore cutting.

When pulling wear golves- was told last year just pulling one plant is equilivant to drinking half a pint of beer. Only 30 odd years too late for this knowledge! One year I must have had the liver of an alcoholic without drinking a drop! I pulled the lot on the yard where the horse died- I was at it for 36 hours over a week to clear the hay fields despite YO swearing there was NO RAGWORT. I kept dumping the bags full of the stuff in the yard. Years on she still apparently hates me! It's mutual! I don't like being treated like an idiot and I don't like being lied to, esp. where my horses health is concerned!

YO's shouldn't lie- we are not stupid but so many YO seam to think liveries are! I often think they must be really dumb to ever think they can get away with such obvious lies! Sorry- clearly still angry! God if I had a quid for every lie the various YO 's have told me over the years!
 
The issue in pulling up Ragwort is that it leaves some of the fine roots in the ground which will then regenerate to form new plants. Your best bet is to use a Ragwort specific spray to kill it off (Such as Barrier H - available from good tack shops or agricultural merchants). Spray the Ragwort and leave it for 3 days and spray it again. Once completely dead pull it out and burn it. (You can always put electric fence up around the area you have sprayed to keep the horses away from it).
Unfortunately keeping fields clear of Ragwort requires a lot of hard work and diligence.
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Always wear gloves picking ragwort or use a ragwort fork. My old boss told me that if you have any cuts on your hands it can get into your system and it can apparently be poisonous to humans too.

I know a horse who suffered from ragwort poisoning. His liver was apparently mush. (The liver can apparently either harden or just fall apart according to her vet) and he made it through but with alot of consequences. He gets lammi at the drop of a hat and ties up at the drop of a hat. Hes been on deaths doortwice, poor horse his immune system is shot! So it is important to be vigilant!

I have tomorrow off so I will be going around all of the fields to check for it (Thank you OP for bringing this to my attention - I was going to leave it a few weeks before I checked!) thankfully our area doesn't seem to have alot of Ragwort, even on the verges so it should be easy to keep the fields clear.
 
Off to buy some Barrier H tomorrow, this is war!! (Note to self...ask for 5 litres of Barrier H, not Preperation H which is something completely different!)
 
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