The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: sabrina on March 19, 2009, 03:40:32 pm
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Once again its popping up all over the place, we spray, pull and burn the stuff yet every year i end up with just as much. Both my neighbours just let it grow so i am fighting a losing battle but why when it is a band weed is nothing done. The neighbour to the right of us has horses and makes hay every year knowing she has the stuff. she does pull the big plants but never thinks of any small stuff. Other neighbour got a grant for hedging a couple of years ago and its full of plants that are just left to seed all over my paddocks. Its enough to turn a person to drink >:( :horse:
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Ragwort ....the bain of my life. I must pull thousands of plants every year . unfortunately , one plant can self sow upto 150 thousands seeds , and they stay viable in the soil for 10 years or more. There are laws now that if you have it on your land you are obliged to get rid of it . If you don't the council ( I think ?) can do it and charge you . I was told by a vet .... get sheep and let them clear the fields !!! they will clear it in a few years ....you just need to pull the big ones. Like I say a vet told me that . He said that as long as you just get young sheep each year , and send them to market , you never have any problems .....You will be in my thoughts Sabrina , as I am pulling the plants on my land later in the year..... ;D :farmer:
cheers
Russ
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I am surrounded by horsey people, who have differing views on the stuff. Mostly they are paranoid and blitz the stuff. however, the people on one side ignore it, and it then spreads over on to us. I spend ages pulling, burning and spraying but it just keeps coming back. what also annoys me is that it is growing rife on the verges of most roads round us, so it will never go away. >:(
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I lost a horse to the bl**dy stuff 3 days ago! totally uncalled for, previous owners allowing the mares and foals to graze in a field full off the stuff. Just hope they have a long painfull death like the horses they are slowly killing!! (not making death threats just sooo mad and upset) >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( :'( :'( :'( :'(
I could murder the people that allow it to grow without pulling it or allowing animals to feed on it. Sheep are affected by the stuff they just don't show the signs as they usually end up in the meat chain before the affects are seen, hence the vet saying young sheep and sending them away each year. there is a law "Ragwort control act 2003" the BHS, donkey sanctuary and a few others helped get it passed. You can complain to Defra they have a page with all the information on it, also a form to fill to complain about people allowing it to grow, they can enforce that people take action to stop it from spreading.
I'm totally mad about the stuff, we are doing well so far with only a couple of plant appearing each year, no thanks to the farm next door.
Good luck with the pulling, with each plant pulled that allot less seeds to for spreading. :horse:
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hello Emma,
I am so sorry to hear about your horse. It must have been terrible !!! I know sheep are affected by it , I mentioned what the vet said to explain the weird views even vets have of the stuff.....I will be getting sheep , but not for that reason . I will keep on with my endless yearly ragwort pulling season. Every animal has the right to life without being poisoned, and on my land they will all get that right .
cheers
Russ
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Hello,
Friends of ours dealt with their problem with a flock of hebridean sheep. There is also a moth that likes to eat them - we get them appearing of any that turn up with us - the caterpillars are orange with black stripes - they love the stuff and soon kill it off.
Cheers
Gavin
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browsing thro welfare of livestock for cattle by defra,which is not a great bedtime read re rusty injurious weeds,also included on list is spear thistle,creeping or field thistle,curled dock,broad leaved dock,common ragwort. any of these can attract an enforcement notice to the landowner to make you prevent weeds from spreading.can be liable to a fine.
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do I win a prize Neil ??? I have got the lot !!!!!
cheers
Russ
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perhaps a weed picking party at rustys ;D ;D
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;D ;D blimey a 365 day party..... ::) or I could open a weed takaway ???? err best not .. might attract the wrong sort to that ::)....anyway Amsterdam have beat me to it ....
cheers
Russ
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the caterpillars are orange with black stripes - they love the stuff and soon kill it off.
The moth is the Cinnabar Moth. You can buy in Pupae I think.
We find that using a Ragfork makes pulling the things easier.
cheers
Andrew
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar_moth
I want some of those .....well lots of them !!!!!!
cheers
Russ
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Hi,
I wasn't having a go about the sheep rusty just hate the arrogance of people who cant be bothered to solve the problem, and the subject is still very raw at the moment.
;D ;D blimey a 365 day party..... ::) or I could open a weed takeaway ????
The BHS arrange Ragwort pulling parties, sounds like you could do with one, When i was a kid i remember the dreaded weed being sold as a flower in the local nursery's, pot them up you could make a fortune. :bouquet: :yum:
Those caterpillars sound great, are there any rules in releasing them on neighbours property, If they kill off the flower then may be less chance of the seeds blowing over to neighbouring properties, (i.e mine)! ??? ??? ;D
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no probs Emma, I didn't think you were !!! I just re read my post and it didn't really explain what I meant !!! The catapillars really do sound good , I will have to see if I can find anywhere that sells the eggs .
cheers
Russ
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If you do find some where then please let me know, they'll do really well next door, food gallour!! :D :D
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The caterpillars are common in somerset but I have never seen them totally wipe out an infestation. The weed has been notifiable for years but unfortunately the local authorities dont seem to take it seriously. You need to start complaining to your Local Authority early as they take ages to come and look and by then its flowered and gone to seed.
I have pulled it for years and you do see a reduction but you only have to look at the verges and the way the seeds fly every time a lorry passes to know you are onto a never ending task.
When fresh it has a very bitter taste but once it gets broken and wilts then horses and cattle will eat it.
I to have seen horses die of Ragwort poisoning and hope I dont ever see it again. it must be one of the most painful ends I have ever seen.
May be a name and shame campaign on your local pony club web site or similar may help but you wont make any friends.
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I'm assuming that your legislation is similar to ours as we steal most of it from you. Under the 'Noxious Weeds Act', it is illegal to allow Ragworth to grow on your land...believe it or not if you complain to the police they will affix a notice on the land 'requiring such person to destroy such noxious weeds', failure to comply is an offence. 'any person authorised by the Minister may enter upon such land with or without workmen, horses, or machines and may destroy the noxious weeds to which such notice relates. The Minister may recover from any person on whom a notice has been served under this section in respect of such land as a simple contract debt in any court of competent jurisdiction the amount of the costs and expenses incurred in the destruction of such noxious weeds'.
There's plenty of legislation out there, have a look at http://www.languard.co.uk/invasive-weed-management/legislation/ for the specific UK legislation, and go from there. Best of luck.
Morgan
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Ive got my trust ragwort fork and intend to start pulling this weekend, love the idea of a ragwort party though lol any excuse x ::)
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Buachallán buí this is what its called in ireland. spent a summer pulling it from the root. good times.
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Just remember to wear protective gloves when you're handling it.
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Why? We never did. Does the sap have something horrid in it?
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yes Annie it does !!!! http://www.natural-animal-health.co.uk/ragwort.htm
It is poisonous to humans too , although I am not sure how much is lethal . It is a cumalative thing and is best avoided as much as possible . Always wear gloves when pulling as you always crush the stems slightly when pulling and the sap could then be absorbed !!!! This doesn't mean that because you have pulled it in the past without gloves , that you are popping your clogs !!!! just wear gloves in future mate......I too used to handle it without gloves , but I always try to wear them now when handling it......No need to worry about it though .....just remember to wear gloves....
cheers
Russ
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cheers mate the Marigold Rubber Gloves are going on in future.
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Well, not to worry, I've moved since anyway so don't have the problem - however, what I DO have is contact dermatitis on both hands - started before I moved here - might that be the cause?
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not as far as I know Annie.....I haven't heard of it causing that .....Ragwort gets the liver and when there is enough poison gathered in the system it sort of switches it off. Giant hogweed can cause very serious rashes if contact is made with the sap . Some people are affected just by touching the plant, and some end up with a permanent type rash !!! Wether it could be that or not I don't know ? So many things can cause contact dermatitis it would be very hard to work out what did it . Lots of glues can cause it even fibre glass resin . It is a wonder I don't have it !! as I have had my hands covered in such stuff , I never wore gloves for anything :o.
cheers
Russ