The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Marshlady on January 16, 2010, 12:36:17 pm

Title: Is mare's tail poisonous.
Post by: Marshlady on January 16, 2010, 12:36:17 pm

I have a lovely old pasture on which to graze my 5 Jacob's and 2 Texel crosses. One part of it - from which they are currently excluded - has mares' tail in it, I have heard that it can be poisonous, is this true?

Title: Re: Is mare's tail poisonous.
Post by: doganjo on January 16, 2010, 01:01:33 pm

This might help, I don't see it mentioned here but it might be under a different name.
http://www.ttlntl.co.uk/2/Health/poisonplants.htm

Title: Re: Is mare's tail poisonous.
Post by: Jackie on January 16, 2010, 06:53:58 pm

Well its not poinonsous to humans as you can supposedly make tea from it, although I have never tried.

Title: Re: Is mare's tail poisonous.
Post by: Canadian Sheepfarmer on January 16, 2010, 07:13:23 pm

Old farmers used to say that this prehistoric plant was poisonous but my sheep would never eat it, I suppose if they were starving and there was nothing else they might nibble at it but I never found it a problem. It is a very hard one to get rid of especially organically.
Glyphosate might do it with a weed wiper?

Title: Re: Is mare's tail poisonous.
Post by: shetlandpaul on January 17, 2010, 10:19:55 am

you have to damage the silica coating before spraying. its ment to be bad for horses but why they would want to eat it is another matter.

Title: Re: Is mare's tail poisonous.
Post by: shrekfeet on January 18, 2010, 09:34:14 am

no plant can stand being constantly stripped of its foiliage. Just keep mowing it off and it will soon die