[goosepimple]

We have quite a lot of ragwort in our main field.  The sheep, lambs, goats, geese and ponies, have all avoided it over the years and nicely nibble around about leaving the ragwort nicely exposed to dig out and burn.  However it seems particularly bad this year and I can see un-flowering ones everywhere that makes it just about impossible to dig them all up.
 
Could I get in a contractor to do something (if so what?) we don't have another field big enough for everybody so may have to do it over 2 years in half sections.
 
Any suggestions 

[bloomer]

The spray for ragwort has a 4 week exclusion time on it so you would have to split the field, I can't remember when the correct time to spray is either but I think your too late this year so it might have to be dig and burn till next year now!

[devonlady]

Pull it up and burn it immeadiately. Cheaper and just as easy as spraying. Have a rag- pulling party, bring your own garden fork and gloves, barbecue afterwards (bring your own beer!!) When we bought our land about ten years ago it was a forest of ragwort. It only took two years of pulling to clear it completely. It may be a bit late in the year to stop seeds spreading but get it nice and early next year and you'll get it cleared without poisoning your land

[goosepimple]

Blast!  I'll get the kiddy slaves on to it for pocket money.  I did do a huge amount of nettle pulling for 2 years but it fairly cleared it, so reluctantly I will dig and burn, convince myself it'll be worth it in the end.
 
Many thanks!

[Daisys Mum]

Make sure they wear gloves Amanda, it's pretty toxic stuff!I have a ragwort fork and find they work really well!

[Carse Goodlifers]

Spray ragwort when its at the rosette stage up to 20cm in height depending on the product used.
Grazing exclusions will also vary depending on the spray used so not always 4 weeks.  Can be 2 weeks for some products.

[devonlad]

spraying at rosette stage ( grazon with knapsack or pastor from a boom) as previously stated is dead right. problem can be that once dying off ragwort suddenly becomes palatable- dying but still poisonous. exclusion then needs to be much much longer till all rotted away. im inclined to agree with a rag pulling party

[goosepimple]

yes thanks, I've read up on it in the past and it does seem a nightmare to get rid of with cutting the wrong thing to do.
 
I'd like to see your special fork anne, I try and pull them, most do come right out roots and all but some inevitably you pull and they break.  I'm never sure even with a clean pull if I've got it all out anyway, may leave some thread roots which will quadruple in amount by the next year 

[lord flynn]

ragwort fork is pretty useful-for anything with a tap root. trouble with pulling ragwort is that it will regenerate from pieces of root left in the ground, which can't be helped even with a ragfork and it may not pop back up for a couple of years. However, consistent pulling will work although I would spray if I could keep stock off it for long enough. I'm surprised your sheep havent eaten it at rosette stage, sheep love it IME.

[goosepimple]

Nope, rosettes everywhere, but then we have weird rare breeds that hardly eat the grass