The problem with ragwort:

The past few years have seen a proliferation of ragwort - pretty but deadly yellow flowering weed, which grows in almost any type of soil. It is often seen growing in paddocks, on roadside embankments and railway trackside as well as set-aside land. Although unattractive to most animals in its green state, it becomes highly palatable when wilted, cut or dried and can easily be eaten inadvertently in dried grass, hay and conserved forage; this is why it is dreaded by horse owners and livestock farmers everywhere.

Ragwort kills:
Young equines and bovines are more susceptible to ragwort poisoning than mature livestock. Sheep and cattle are considered to be more resilient but the same toxins build up in the liver and surrounding tissues resulting in eventual death. Affected animals should not be sent for slaughter. Symptoms are loss of condition, poor appetite and constipation. In the later stages, animals appear blind, as they become restless and uncoordinated in their movement. Eventually, partial paralysis sets in and an agonising death follows within a few hours. Once the animal has been poisoned by ragwort; little can be done to save it.

Ragwort Control Act is now Law!
The British Horse Society initiated Ragwort Control Bill finally completed its journey through Parliament, receiving Royal Assent on 20th November, 2003 and come force in England & Wales on the 20th February, 2004, making horses safer from the threat of ragwort poisoning. The new Ragwort Control Act amends the Weeds Act 1959 and promotes the more efficient control of Common Ragwort, one of the five weeds specified in the Weeds Act, which poses a risk to animal health. This should make a real difference, as landowners will now need to act when they find ragwort on their land and prevent the spread of this weed. This act enables the Secretary of State to create a Code of Practice to prevent the spread of Ragwort and provide guidance to all landowners, land managers and occupiers to enable them to develop a strategic and cost effective approach to weed control and to strike the right balance between the protection of animal welfare and the need to preserve bio-diversity within the countryside. Heavily infested neighbouring land has always posed a threat of seed invasion and where gentle persuasion proves ineffective the act has an important feature in that the code will also be admissible in evidence, if enforcement proceedings under the Weeds Act are necessary. Full information can be found on the DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk

Difficult to eradicate:
Ragwort is a biennial, which means it is a rosette in the 1st year (Insert image Ragwort Rosette.jpg) and doesn't flower until the 2nd year (Insert image 0108125.jpg). Every yellow flowering ragwort plant can produce around 150,000 seeds that can lie dormant in the soil for anything up to 20 years. Each seed has a germination rate of around 70%. As a result, no control method can eliminate the problem immediately. Don't forget, that ragwort grows from the root as well as the seed. Learn to identify ragwort at early stages of growth by their dense green rosettes of ragged leaves which grow close to the ground, before they shoot up, thicken out and flower into flat-topped, yellow, daisy-like clustered heads, from late June onwards.

Control Methods:
There are several control options available to choose from:

Hand Pulling: Although most people are aware that hand pulling can break the root system and so increase the chance of it spreading, many still turn to this as a method of eradication. Be aware that Defra vets are now verbally advising that the following is worn during this operation to ensure that the operatives can absorb no pyrrolizidine alkaloids, that have been proved to cause human poisoning via skin contact: § Gloves should be made of solvent resilient nitrile film to provide a barrier between the ragwort and operative. § Face shields and respirators to give protection against pollen and seed dust. § Coveralls should be made of green elastonimised PVC fabric on a polyester base. In light of the fears raised about human poisoning occurring during hand pulling of ragwort, this has serious ramifications for the use of hand pulling as a safe method of control, particularly because the most toxic part of the plant is the flower.

Pulling Devices: There are now several types of fork on the market for the use of pulling weeds. These tools are best used when the ground is damp to minimise root breakage. Unfortunately, there is still the chance of leaving bits of root behind from which more vigorous growth occurs encouraging the spread of this weed. Don't forget to wear gloves etc - see Hand Pulling above.

Chemical treatments: Always ask for advice from your local Agronomist and refer to the manufacturers instructions very carefully. Pay particular attention to the times of year it can be used and how long grazing animals must be kept away from treated areas. Effective control usually requires a minimum 2-year spray eradication program with applications twice a year in the spring and autumn. They can be applied as an overall blanket treatment using a tractor and sprayer.

Spot Treatments: Glyphosate (e.g Monsanto Roundup). This is a non-selective total herbicide and will kill any green material that it comes in contact with. As such it is inadvisable to use in a pasture where the weed requires killing, but the grass does not! Barrier H The world's first fully licensed, environmentally friendly, agricultural herbicide on the market. This product can be used at any time of year and can be used to kill ragwort plants at all stages of growth. It can also be sprayed directly onto the flower heads to stop the seeding process.

Barrier H is a ready to use treatment and is available in a 5L container with a handy spray gun attachment for ease of use. Designed for quick, accurate, spot spray application. This product does not kill the surrounding grass; it also stands up to frosty conditions but should not be applied in wet weather or where the ground is waterlogged. Animals must be kept off treated areas for 2 weeks or until the plant is completely dead and any debris has been removed. Always read the labels carefully.

Sheep Grazing: This is an age-old method that is now discouraged as ragwort is not eliminated and sheep are just as susceptible to ragwort poisoning as horses and cattle.