Ragwort......and goats?

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Ragwort......and goats?

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@Calli

Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Posts: 1682
Location: Galway

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 05 12:30 pm Post subject: Ragwort......and goats?

My back is killing me!

The question is whether ragwort is as poisonous to goats as horses?

We got two llovely kids last week and since they are razing to the ground all the rough, I have been neurotically pulling up anything I think may be harmful to them, as I am not quite convinced of their selective grazing. As we keep horses, I particularly hate ragwort, yet it seems to be the main crop around our home, alongside thistles. Oh and they love overgrown parsley gone to seed......

Just how robust is a goats digestion?

Many thanks
Callie

portwayfarm

Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Posts: 89

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 05 2:17 pm Post subject:

As far as I am aware it is not digestion that is the prob. But the poisoning that occurs to the liver. T o my knowledge and speaking to our farrier who also trims the goat and sheep centre near us it is equally as bad. We are almost finished pulling ours had to do 60acres by rag fork and boy is that back breaking, think I will just get it all done before it goes over and seeds. We do it all year round, try and get the rossettes first, spray the fields that we are resting and dig up the rest. The by the time we have finished that it is growing and so we try anf get those we missed first time round, then by the time we have done that the remaining stuff is going yellow ... it is never ending, be careful when pulling as the smell it lets off builds up and makes you feel sick and headachy. I hate having to burn it as the smoke is also toxic. We have to remove it from the cows we eat as anything they eat you indegst, same for cheese and milk so we feel best to play safe and get rid of it. Sorry.

tawny owl

Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 563
Location: Hampshire

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 05 2:41 pm Post subject:
You'll need to anyway, because Ireland's a lot tougher on that little beastie than is the UK, and you can be fined under the Noxious Weeds Act if someone near you claims their land is being adversely affected by you not clearing it up. Not sure what the fine is these days, but it used to be several hundred quid.

@Calli

Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Posts: 1682
Location: Galway

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 05 9:12 pm Post subject:

portwayfarm wrote:

As far as I am aware it is not digestion that is the prob. But the poisoning that occurs to the liver. T o my ... it is never ending, be careful when pulling as the smell it lets off builds up and makes you feel sick and headachy. I hate having to burn it as the smoke is also toxic. We have to remove it from the cows we eat as anything they eat you indegst, same for cheese and milk so we feel best to play safe and get rid of it. Sorry.

Oh no !! I've been burning the pile didn't want to risk it drying out as more palatable then....oh I feel awful now - yup was a big patch

@Calli

Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Posts: 1682
Location: Galway

Posted: Tue Aug 02, 05 9:15 pm Post subject:

tawny owl wrote:

You'll need to anyway, because Ireland's a lot tougher on that little beastie than is the UK, and you can be fined under the Noxious Weeds Act if someone near you claims their land is being adversely affected by you not clearing it up. Not sure what the fine is these days, but it used to be several hundred quid.

Goodness you have to be kidding (

sorry original thread>..)
there is far more over here...lived in wales long enough. I would love to claim land being affected as it surely is but need to live here not such a good idea whereas in wales no one cared..

portwayfarm

Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Posts: 89

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 05 6:31 am Post subject:

I wish there was a use for the stuff - chemical war fare? I would be one rich arms dealer!

There is little you can do in the way of getting rid of it once pulled - I guess burning is the best and most leagal way of disposal. Just once you have the flames nice and hot chuck a load on and as long as the fire is safe then walk away and check again later, add more wood and more rag, that way the intense heat of the wood burns the rag with reduced amount of toxic smoke, key is to keep the fire really hot and put minimum amount of rag on in one go.

@Calli

Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Posts: 1682
Location: Galway

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 05 12:20 pm Post subject:
Not actually sure how legal burning is even....we have a helicopter that flies over at intervals to check no one having bonfires to burn household rubbish. You see what you pay your council taxes for now don't you - binmen!!! We pay per sack....or by weight....so there is a problem with home bonfires!!!

@Calli

Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Posts: 1682
Location: Galway

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 05 12:22 pm Post subject:
I KNOW.......I'LL BURY IT

Anna-marie

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 980
Location: West Wales

Posted: Thu Sep 29, 05 1:12 pm Post subject:

I think that burying it may cause problems, too. It might grow back, I believe.
DEFRA have guidlines on the disposal of ragwort, and recommend burning it.

Alternatively, it can be taken to an approved landfill site, where they bury it several metres underground!!

Difficult to know what is the best thing to do!!
By the way, anything that is poisonous to horses/humans, is also poisonous to goats. Including yew, deadly nightshade, etc. It is worth checking hedges to make sure that there is nothing noxious growing there.

What breed of kids do you have? You know, those goatie-type ones, not the ones that you sired yourself!

How about some piccies of them?
Sorry this posting is a bit late - I've only just got round to reading your thread!!
Anna-marie

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