[farmvet]

liverpool vet school did some work and could measure the toxin in the blood stream after pulling ragwort without gloves for a short while.  Because it damages the live you may/not have any signs immediately but the affect would be cumulative...just like alcholol!

Do you need to pull your ragwort?? if you've several paddocks couldn't you get them topped with the toppings baled & removed, and then spray the regrowth? Fertilizer or lime as needed after topping would help the grass come in stronger & crowd out the ragwort too.

[honeyend]

I have been fighting the battle against ragwort for years as every single paddock I have rented has been full of the stuff which I have mainly hand pulled with gloves. I now own my own land and the first year managed to get someone to spray, followed by sheep which cleared up that years plants but two summers later I am back to square one as I have not been able to get someone to come and spray.
 Depending which source you look at gives you a different story about toxicity in humans, one paper said it is absorbed through the skin but as it is not converted by gut acid is metabolised and harmless.
  I also appear to have Marsh ragwort which is not on the injurious weeds list and apparently can be controlled by mowing in June. Depending on which source you look you are told something different about being poisonous so I am still pulling, with gloves
http://www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk/files/floodplain/Marsh%20Ragworth%20Trial%20RSPB%20Leaflet.pdf
http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/adlib/defra/content.aspx?doc=99304&id=99308

[SallyintNorth]

I cleared an acre in a paddock I rented once.

I didn't know to wear gloves. 

If you are pulling them, wear gloves!!!

But did you actually feel any bad effects by not wearing gloves?

Yes, I felt truly terrible for days.  I don't think it can have been psychological, because I had no idea it might be bad for me.  I didn't go see a doctor.

liverpool vet school did some work and could measure the toxin in the blood stream after pulling ragwort without gloves for a short while.  Because it damages the live you may/not have any signs immediately but the affect would be cumulative...just like alcholol!

Oh good, I'm not going mad then

[kelly58]

The school  is called Leahurst, they did lots  of seminars on all aspects of animal  and land management.
We used to live nearby,  thats  were l heard the info about the ragwort.
This year is bad, not seen so much before, must be the weird weather ?

[Skyfall]

Well I'm still pulling been taking photos throughout the whole process I am almost done one field YIPPEEEEE I have a contractor coming next week or early the week after when he's finished harvesting to come a top the overgrown field he's said to try and pull as much of the ragwort as I can out it isn't as bad as this field though but harder to see any smaller shoots with it being 3/4ft high, had a few days off though as not felt great back too it today tho. My body has literally been eaten alive by some kind of bug down there tho I'm covered in huge blistered bites that itch so blooming bad

[Marches Farmer]

Ragwort seed was imported with the earth the previous owners of our farm used to make the bund around the slurry pit and lagoon.  They never let it seed and neither have I.  Thirty-five years on I still find new plants when I check it every month through the summer!

[hafod]

This year I've used barrier H - it does work but needs quite a big dose on anything over rosette size. Used one bottle and to expensive to buy another (although I would use again earlier in the season). So in another field I used glypho - again it does work but difficult to spray only the rag not surrounding grass when plants are beyond rosette stage. So, i'm back to pulling. It's coming out quite nicely at the moment due to the good soaking we had at the weekend.
We are in the process of sheep proofing all our land so we can rotate sheep and horses hopefully this will help get on top of new growth in the future . 

Do any of you use rag forks? They certainly make the job less back breaking but I find they snap the roots more than pulling does and i'm sure i've been told that plants can regenerate from a small bit of root left in the ground?

[sabrina]

We have been busy lifting ragwort as well. Been at it for 17 years now, spraying , pulling,  digging and still it grows. I hate the stuff ! 

[SallyintNorth]

The old way was to graze with cattle, who avoid it and leave plants standing proud of the grass.  Sheep and horses then avoid them too.

If you wanted to kill the plants, would it work to do the cattle-graze thing, then weed-wipe?

[midtown]

Do you need to pull your ragwort?? if you've several paddocks couldn't you get them topped with the toppings baled & removed, and then spray the regrowth? Fertilizer or lime as needed after topping would help the grass come in stronger & crowd out the ragwort too.

Cutting is not recommended. Although it may reduce seed production, it can promote perennialization of ragwort, i.e. it will come back the following year more vigorously.
Should also bear in mind, until the plant has died off completely with no evidence of its presence remaining, any remnant will become palatable to livestock.

Rabbit scrapes, mole hills, poached and bare areas of soil, imported soil, etc, all provide ideal conditions for ragwort. Fertilising and lime may help, but I'd also be inclined to consider over-seeding where conditions dictate. 
.