Sycamore trees . What do I need to know?

[sz90168]

I have just been informed by a fellow livery that there is Sycamore tree at the bottom of my mare’s field by the entrance. There have never been any incidents at the yard for 15 years but I would still like to take some preventative actions. Shall I fence it off all year? She does not spend any time in that corner of the field really which is good but I am now a little worried.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I have just been informed by a fellow livery that there is Sycamore tree at the bottom of my mare’s field by the entrance. There have never been any incidents at the yard for 15 years but I would still like to take some preventative actions. Shall I fence it off all year? She does not spend any time in that corner of the field really which is good but I am now a little worried.

Read this link: http://www.bhs.org.uk/welfare-and-care/recent-research/07-march-atypical-myopathy

Worth getting seedlings tested if you are at all worried.

 

[meleeka]

If there's a tree there you'd be amazed at how far the seedlings fly when it's windy. If you're lucky they'll blow away from your field or otherwise your field will be covered in them.

 

[Fiagai]

There are two periods of concern, these are autumn - when the winged seeds and leaves fall do the ground and may pose a danger to grazing horses and spring when the young seedlings appear.

I would suggest you walk the field and try and identify any tree seedlings hidden the grass. Especially check under and around any trees but also check the field systematically.

If you find seedlings - fence that part of the field off as it is better to be safe than sorry.

I found the following guide very comprehensive

https://www.rainbowequinehospital.co.uk/information-on-sycamore-poisoning/

 

[windand rain]

make sure it is a sycamore first a lot of field maples have been hacked down. I am afraid I am a tree fan and hate the thought of any unnecessary vandalism. However I do know the seedlings and seed pods are associated with atypical myopathy and I would hate for any horse to get sick

 

[Fiagai]

make sure it is a sycamore first a lot of field maples have been hacked down. I am afraid I am a tree fan and hate the thought of any unnecessary vandalism. However I do know the seedlings and seed pods are associated with atypical myopathy and I would hate for any horse to get sick

A number of Acer species are known to produce the toxin include the following:

Common sycamore or sycamore maple (Acer Pseudoplatanus) in Europe or the Box Elder (Acer negundo) in The United States.

Other members of the Sapindaceae family of trees which includes Acers (Maples) may produce the toxin but the common sycamore is the only one that horses are likely to come into contact with in the UK.

Some Acer species found in parks and gardens do produce seeds which contain the toxin; however, they do not produce seeds in the same quantity and horses are less likely to be exposed to them. Acer species known to produce the toxin include the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) silver maple (Acer saccharinum) mountain maple (Acer spicatum) and sugar maple (Acer sacharum).
See: https://www.rainbowequinehospital.co.uk/information-on-sycamore-poisoning/

The danger is that planted boundaries may contain other varieties of Acer than just sycamore. Hence horse owners concerns ...

 

[asmp]

Although horses have been on our yard for many years, a pony went down with sycamore poisoning in December. Pony was a young (5) healthy cob who was stabled at night and there was plenty of grass. Farmer has kindly cut down all the sycamores in the yard (I hate to see trees cut down too but wouldn't want my horses to be rushed to the vets). All the fields are now combed for saplings (the seeds get everywhere) and are pulled up.

The pony survived after 5 nights at the vets.

 

[L&M]

Having seen my partners youngster tragically die of sycamore poisoning a month ago, I would take any sycamore tree very seriously.

Unfortunately my partners grazing was lined with several sycamore - the saplings consumed were hidden in long grass as the fields had been rested since last autumn, so not initially apparent, and the poor lad gorged on them whilst hoovering up the grass. As with the above poster, this field has been grazed by horses for the last 20 odd yrs with no issues......

We have moved the horses off that field and have had to find an alternative - the landowner we rented it off is not going to rent it out for grazing again, and unfortunately due to the number of tress, is unlikely to find an alternative use for the land.

The field we are using now instead has one tree - we have spent the weekend mowing the saplings down as it is the leaves that are the most toxic according to research. We used a garden mower with a collector box so no saplings were left behind. We have also had permission from the landlord to kill the tree, so have used the old fashioned method of copper nailing it - if that does not work we have been told a high dose of 'Round up' augered in will do the trick.

There are weedkillers you can spot spray, such as Broadsword, that will kill the saplings but you need to get them when there is just the 2 winged leaves - apparently if you wait until it has slightly more typical sycamore type leaves they are harder to poison. Equally if the tree is allowed to stay, every year the seeds will need to be collected in the autumn, and saplings removed in the spring, so a constant headache. Fencing it off is an option but the seedlings can travel......

We hope to have 'killed' the tree before it produces seeds in autumn but will obviously keep a very close eye on it, and for dormant saplings that may appear next spring.

If your yard owner does not want the tree removed, and you have just a single tree I would speak to your vets re testing it for toxicity - from my limited knowledge, not all sycamore are 'killers', but the level of toxicity can change, so would need testing yearly.

 

[JillA]

Interesting that they recommend a fat/oil free diet. Not sure of the connection unless it makes muscle tissue more likely to absorb the toxin?