Animal charity RSPCA has warned farmers in the East of England of the dangers posed by ragwort. The charity has mounted a campaign to raise awareness of the risks ragwort poses to livestock and horses.

Ragwort, a member of the daisy family, causes liver damage if eaten; often animals which have eaten ragwort do not show symptoms until it is too late to save them. Either a small intake of the plant over a long time or one large amount eaten at once can kill animals.

It can cause a loss of appetite, constipation and jaundice in animals which have consumed the plant. The later stages of poisoning can include loss of coordination, breathing difficulties, blindness and convulsions.

The plant flowers from late June into early autumn and landowners with the plant on their land are under legal obligation to destroy it. There have in the past been complaints of ragwort growing on land with no clear owner or on railway sidings, from where it can spread to nearby farmland.

Ragwort, which blooms with yellow daisy-like flowers, should not be handled bare with bare hands, as the plant is also poisonous to humans. Anyone attempting to remove ragwort is advised to cover their arms and legs, wear sturdy clothing, gloves and a face mask.

More information on ragwort and other injurious weeds is available from Natural England here.

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