 |
BELOVED HORSE KILLED BY
RAGWORT |
The British Horse Society has learnt that yet
another horse has died of ragwort poisoning. Scirocco, a 16.1hh dark bay
gelding belonging to Mrs Wendy Harrow of Llanelli, died a slow and painful
death earlier this month.
Vets treating the horse for liver damage did not
initially suspect ragwort poisoning, and by the time the staggering symptoms
appeared, it was too late.
Mrs Harrow said: "It was devastating to watch
Scirocco die. I would never want anyone to go through that. I could not believe
it was ragwort poisoning as I have always kept our fields completely free of
it. But this year I bought in hay from a different source, and the ragwort was
in that. Blood tests show that my two other horses were also affected, but I am
treating them with NAFF detox and pink powder and they are okay".
Nichola Gregory, British Horse Society Ragwort
Campaign co-ordinator, said: "We have been warning horse owners of the
dangers of ragwort getting in to hay, and unfortunately we have been proved
right. In this case the supplier said he was "70% sure" there was no
ragwort in his hay. Horse owners need to be 100% sure that the forage they feed
their animals is not going to poison them. If ragwort is found in hay, it
should be reported to the Trading Standards Officer."
Ragwort is poisonous to horses, cattle, donkeys
and sheep. It is also poisonous to humans, so gloves should always be worn when
pulling it. Ragwort should be dug up and destroyed as soon as it appears in the
spring (called 'the rosette' stage). It can also be treated by spot spraying
with Barrier H (an effective and environmentally friendly herbicide), burnt off
with a paraffin weed burner, or dug out and salt put in the hole to kill any
roots left behind. Horses and ponies should not be put back in the field until
the ragwort has been removed.
BHS Root Out Ragwort Week - 21-29 July Root Out
Ragwort Week is aimed at preventing flowering ragwort from going to seed by
raising awareness in the public of the dangers to livestock of ragwort
poisoning.
 |
|
|
