Lovely isn't it?
It's a plant that grows all year round, but it looks at its best around now when the flowers are fully in bloom. At this time of year you sometimes see quite large clumps of it in fields or decorating the roadside verges.
It's called ragwort...
...and it's very bad news indeed.
Ragwort is poisonous and represents a major health risk to livestock in general and horses in particular. It contains an alkaloid that, once ingested, remains in the body. Sufficient accumulations of this poison can lead to blindness and liver failure. Even if ragwort has been cut down, the poison remains in the dead plant material so it is still toxic. The only safe way to dispose of it is to burn it.
I'm delighted to report that the Highways Department of our County Council (Cheshire East) are very good at dealing with ragwort. Every August they seem to have a blitz on it and you can see them digging it up and taking it away to be burnt. If everyone else made a similar effort, we might stand a better chance of eliminating scenes like this.
This image is from the World Horse Welfare website, where there's more information on how to help eliminate this lethal weed.
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Thank you for posting this, I knew it was dangerous but not to that extent. I have a friend with horses, I will ask her if she has any, and if she needs help with removing it.
ReplyDeleteWe have just proved that The Internet is "A Good Thing" ;)
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, on some farms they even have Ragwort Parties, where everyone comes along to scour the fields for a couple of hours. Once the ragwart has been gathered up to await drying and burning, the serious partying can begin. (I think Shula had one of these events in "The Archers" a couple of years ago.)
... so pleased to have read this and now I can go check out my allotment - which still has a lot of flowery weeds on it - to make sure it is not there. I tend to let a lot of weeds survive because I want to encourage the insects... but I had no idea about this one, not being a horsey person, but hoping one day to have goats... guess I will have to do a lot of learning before then.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Another convert.
ReplyDeleteGoats (and sheep) are less susceptible to ragwort poisoning than most other livestock, but it's still not sensible or responsible to allow it to grow on your land.
There's some more useful information here:
http://www.sac.ac.uk/mainrep/pdfs/tn570ragwortpoisoning.pdf
Wow! This post of yours needs to go worldwide. As my daughter now rides its something I will watch for when I walk the country lanes she trots along. Is this poisonous to dogs too?
ReplyDeleteRagwort is poisonous, whatever eats it.
ReplyDeleteSome animals are less susceptible to the toxin, but even then it should be avoided, so I would actively discourage any animal from eating it.
If you want specific advice, I would be inclined to ask a vet about the threat that ragwort represents to dogs.
Fortunately, most dogs can usually find much better things to eat; rabbits, cats, postmen...