Ragwort - the dangers

Everyone knows that ragwort is poisonous to horses, causing irreversible damage to the liver. It is vitally important for horse and land owners to recognise and control this potentially fatal plant. Today Animal Friends is bringing you the facts about Ragwort.

How can ragwort affect my horse?

Ragwort has a bitter taste which often deters horses from eating it, but some horses develop a liking for the bitter taste and may choose to eat it even when there is sufficient palatable grass available to graze on. However, if grass becomes sparse (e.g. following a period of hot dry weather) horses may resort to eating plants they wouldn't normally eat, including ragwort if it is present, even if they have not developed a taste for it. Uncontrolled ragwort left growing in and around horse pastures exposes horses and ponies to increased consumption, leading to poisoning and possibly death, and the infestation will increase each year as plants set seed.

Ragwort facts:

• Ragwort is one of the most frequent causes of plant poisoning of livestock in Britain.
• Equines and bovines are more susceptible to ragwort poisoning than other livestock.
• Young animals are more at risk than mature animals.
• Ragwort is also harmful to humans. It can enter the bloodstream through the skin: protective clothing MUST be worn when handling the plant.
• The plant favours well-drained soils but will grow in most ground conditions. Activities (e.g. poaching) which lead to a loss of ground cover and soil disturbance encourage ragwort growth.
• Ragwort is normally a biennial, present as a rosette close to the ground in spring of its first year then growing upwards and flowering during the summer of its second year. However, cutting or topping ragwort may alter the plant's lifecycle and result in it being present as a perennial.
• Overgrazed land provides ideal conditions for ragwort growth and spread. Due to the lack of grass cover, the plants are more likely to be eaten.
• Well-managed pasture, with a dense grass sward provides less of an opportunity for undesirable weeds to invade.
• Each plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds with a 70% germination rate.
• Ragwort seeds can be dormant in the soil for up to 20 years. This explains why the odd plant may appear - despite good pasture management - where weeds are otherwise under control.
• Fragments of root left behind in the soil when the plant is removed can regrow.
• Ragwort poisoning can occur at any time of year, so remain vigilant year-round.
• Ragwort acts as a cumulative poison, eventually destroying the liver. A small intake of ragwort over a long period can be just as damaging as a larger intake on a single occasion.
• Little can be done for an animal once the clinical symptoms appear.
• The toxins in ragwort are not destroyed by cutting, pulling, digging up, spraying or drying.
• Ragwort becomes much more palatable following cutting or treatment. As the plants wilt and dry, the bitter taste is lost. Horses lose the ability to detect it and are therefore likely to eat it readily. Never allow your animals access to plants which have been treated or removed from pasture.
• Always examine dried forage for poisonous plants: dried grass, hay and haylage may potentially contain ragwort. It is not always easy to recognise fragments of the plant in forage. Samples can be sent away for analysis, but the sample results will not guarantee all bales are free of ragwort. If you are able to buy locally-produced hay or haylage, you may even be able to enquire as to the method of weed control used and visit the site where it has been produced

Any responsible owner should pull ragwort from the field, and it is advised that to completely eradicate a ragwort infestation that you should burn the weeds once they have been pulled. If you think that your horse has ragwort poisoning, you must call your vet, so that it can be dealt with accordingly.

Ragwort awareness week is held annually in July, so spread the word and help stop the spread of this poisonous weed.

Animal Friends Insurance offers a wide range of comprehensive equine cover which you can tailor make to suit you. Phone today on 0844 57 32 100 or email us at info@animalfriends.co.uk and get a quote today.