What problems can common ragwort cause?

Common ragwort is a plant that is toxic to livestock and horses. It accounts for over 90% of complaints about injurious weeds. It is the only injurious plant which poses a serious risk to animal health, especially but not limited to; horses, ponies, cattle and sheep – as it can cause cumulative liver damage and can even be fatal if ingested.

All parts of the ragwort plant remain toxic and harmful to animals when treated or wilted. Cut and pulled flowering ragwort plants may still set seed and ragwort has a 70% seed germination rate.

There are three categories for assessing risk:

• High risk – Where ragwort is flowering or seeding within 50 metres of land used for grazing by horses and other animals or for feed/forage production
• Medium risk – Where ragwort is present within 50 to 100 metres of land used for grazing by horses and other animals or for feed/forage production
• Low risk – Where ragwort or the land on which it is present is more than 100 metres from land used for grazing by horses and other animals, or for feed/forage production

What is the extent of damage?

Ragwort poisoning can have a devastating effect on horses, as well as being damaging to cattle and other livestock. Ingestion of Common Ragwort, either in its green or dried state, can cause serious liver damage, which can have tragic consequences for both animals and owners.

Can I make a claim if common ragwort encroaches upon my property?

Under the Weeds Act 1959 the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs can, if satisfied that injurious weeds are growing upon any land, serve a notice requiring the occupier to take action to prevent the spread of those weeds. An unreasonable failure to comply with a notice is an offence.

Natural England has the right to investigate complaints where there is a risk that injurious weeds might spread to neighbouring land. Natural England gives priority to investigating complaints where there is a risk of weeds spreading to land used for grazing horses or livestock, land used for forage production and other agricultural activities.

The Ragwort Control Act 2003 gives evidential status in any proceedings taken under the Weeds Act 1959. This means that non-compliance may be used as evidence in any legal action. Equally, owners/occupiers should be able to establish a defence if they can demonstrate that they have adopted control measures.

Ragwort can be found growing by the side of railway lines and, due to the size of the railway network, can pose a risk of contaminating grazing land and land used for feed/forage production within the locality. Similarly, the number of neighbours surrounding the lines means that ragwort will undoubtedly spread on to railway property. The control of vegetation on railway land, including the control of ragwort, is the responsibility of Network Rail. Failure to control this could amount to a claim against National Rail should this affect livestock and or properties on the line.