Ragwort wipout..

artieanna

I was listening to the news on local radio here in Mayo yesterday and it stated that it is now illegal to have ragwort growing on your land. It also stated that the NRA must keep the roadsides clear of this posionous weed.

It is very common here in the west and I am aware of its toxicity but is it wise to wipe out this plant, surely some insects feed off it. I see stripy caterpillars on it at the moment.

We have farmed here for ever and we can never recall any animal being posioned by ragwort (bohalauns) on our farm and neighbouring farms. Cattle certainly will not eat them.

Is this action a bit drastic?

Have a look at this:
http://www.farmingpages.com/farming-news/latest-farming-news/ragwort-spraying-campaign-launched.html

doctor evil

But its always been illegal, there was a time when Gardai would go round on bicycles and tell people to dig up Ragwort.

I hope they are going to really on the building sector and on county councils them selves as they are big culprits.

I doubt it could be fully wiped out.

You may get a better response if this thread was moved to the Farming & Forestry Forum.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Yes, it was always illegal ( well for 70 years anyway) to have this noctous weed on your land. Many years back there were posters about it on the wall of every Garda barracks in the country. The cropped weed will poison fodder.
This is a goos article on the background and current situation.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/lack-of-concern-about-our-lethal-weeds-is-obnoxious-996152.html

Run_to_da_hills

Theodore Ripe Springboard wrote: »

Yes, it was always illegal ( well for 70 years anyway) to have this noctous weed on your land. Many years back there were posters about it on the wall of every Garda barracks in the country.

Just like the wanted posters for the Colorado beetle.

sesswhat

artieanna wrote: »

is it wise to wipe out this plant, surely some insects feed off it. I see stripy caterpillars on it at the moment.

We have farmed here for ever and we can never recall any animal being posioned by ragwort (bohalauns) on our farm and neighbouring farms. Cattle certainly will not eat them.

Is this action a bit drastic?

On the basis that there are no scientific figures or even estimates for damage being done by ragwort in Ireland then I suppose it is a bit drastic. It never stops Kevin Myers having a good rant but I didn't realise there were people who actually took him seriously.

Zzippy

Here's the legislation:
Noxious Weeds Act, 1936

I've seen ponies who died from liver damage caused by ragwort, not a pretty sight, horrible way to die....

LisaO

Fields around the new Kilkenny ring road are full of it. Travellers have their horses & ponies on these fields at the moment. Always understood it to be poisonous to horses & ponies but not sure about other animals

fits

Horses generally wont eat the plant when its alive but are more likely to when it has wilted or when its in hay. It is absolutely lethal to them when they do eat it.

Sam Kade

When it is cut and dried out it becomes palatable for animals.

gerky

Sam Kade wrote: »

When it is cut and dried out it becomes palatable for animals.

Are you sure?

Teagasc wrote:

The poisonous material contained in ragwort is not destroyed by drying. Hay containing ragwort is particularly dangerous.

meathstevie

Thistles fall in the same category and there's plenty of those around as well.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

gerky wrote: »

Are you sure?

Palatable means that they don't mind the taste. When it's alive, they won't eat it because of the taste.

gerky

Sean_K wrote: »

Palatable means that they don't mind the taste. When it's alive, they won't eat it because of the taste.

Yea sorry I took him up wrong I thought he meant palatable like here as in fit to be eaten.

artieanna

I think they're getting carried away a bit when they say its illegal to have it on your land.... just noticed on the road today theres tons of it.. I don't think it will be wiped out.

As far as I know can be ingested easier when it is fermented in silage, dockets would be similar..

Sam Kade

I was in foynes yesterday all the fields are yellow with it. Cattle will eat it if topped and left in the field or if it is conserved in hay and silage.

kincsem

Òne summer many years ago (1959?) we were on our "holidays" in the midlands at our grandfather's farm (me 9, brother 7 1/2). I think our mother was expecting, so we were sent away from Dublin.
The council warned my grandfather to get rid of the ragworth in his field (300 x 150 yards?). So for six days the three of us pulled it up by the roots. It was the 1950's equivalent of the X-Box or summer soccer camp.
I mentioned it to the brother about five years ago, thinking he would have forgotten all about it. He never forgot, and never will.