Ragwort is a biennial poisonous plant that can be deadly to cows, horses and pigs. In the first year, the plant forms rosettes. In the second year, Ragwort blooms with highly poisonous flowers. The leaves of the plant are also poisonous. Ragwort contains alkaloids that affect the liver and cause liver inflammation. An allergic skin reaction may occur when touched. The plant is also poisonous to humans. Ragwort grows well in unfertilized, poor soil and bare spots in a pasture.
Ragwort, a poisonous plant
Ragwort is a biennial plant that forms rosettes in the first year and flowers in the second year. From July to October, the plant blooms with a umbel-shaped bouquet of yellow flowers and a center in the center. Ragwort contains alkaloids, a poisonous substance that makes the plant unattractive to insects’ gluttony. The flowers of the plant are highly poisonous. They contain twice as much poison as the leaves.
Where does Ragwort grow?
The plant can reach a height of 90 cm and grows mainly in non-fertilized, poor soil. These can be roadsides, nature reserves and poor meadows. Ragwort is increasingly common because pieces of land are returned to nature. Due to the impoverishment of the soil, more flowers and plants grow. All species in the ragwort and ragwort family are poisonous.
An important plant for insects
Ragwort is a wind diffuser. Most seeds, however, fall near the existing plant. Seeds that do grow must land in a suitable place to germinate. Ragwort is not only poisonous, but also important for insects such as bees, hoverflies and butterflies, which extract nectar and pollen from it.
Animals don’t like the bitter taste
Animals do not normally eat this plant (unless there is a lack of food) because they do not like the bitter taste. However, the smell and bitter taste disappear when haying, so that animals do eat the plant, with all the consequences that entails.
How does poisoning occur in animals?
Ragwort contains alkaloids that affect the liver and cause liver inflammation. All parts of the plant contain toxins. In the liver, the toxic substance is converted into a substance that is even more harmful. This damages the liver cells. The body’s own substances are no longer processed properly and accumulate, causing them to poison the body. The central nervous system and heart are affected. Accumulated ammonia can disrupt brain function, making the animal drowsy or dangerous.
When do symptoms occur?
Small amounts of alkaloids do not immediately lead to disease symptoms. Toxins are excreted within 24 to 48 hours, through the kidneys or the milk. The symptoms occur when the animal has eaten large amounts or when consuming small portions over a longer period of time. It can then take several years before the animal becomes ill. Acute liver inflammation develops if the animal has eaten large quantities of ragwort in a short time.
Symptoms of liver poisoning
- Slowness
- diarrhea
- symptoms of sunburn
- slimming
- lack of appetite
- jaundice
- a staggering gait or incoordination
- drink a lot
- unrest
An allergic skin reaction to touch
Touching the plant can cause an allergic skin reaction. This is not caused by the alkaloids but by sesquiterpene lactones. These are also in other species of the dandelion family.
Diagnosis and treatment
Liver damage can be diagnosed by blood tests. Most sick animals can still be treated and cured with the help of medicines for the liver inflammation. The treatment consists of giving an anti-inflammatory drug and possibly an infusion. If the liver is too damaged, treatment is no longer possible and the animal will die.
The control of ragwort
It is not easy to control Jacobaea rosa. The plant likes to grow in bare spots in the pasture. By repairing bald spots, growth can be limited. The plant can also be removed manually. Make sure that no pieces of root are left behind, otherwise the plant will grow back.
Feed with hay
As long as enough food is available, the animals will not eat the plant. Feed them with hay as soon as the food supply decreases. Check the hay for the presence of ragwort, or ask the supplier for its origin.