Poisonous to sheep?

[Benn]

Got a field filled with 50% buttercups,ex horse field,
Going re seed in autumn.

Are buttercups poisonous to sheep,
Would they actually eat them or just graze around them?
Running out grass for ewes and lambs,
wanting to move them end of this week and this only spare bite grass in amongst the butter cups.

 

[primmiemoo]

I can't remember having any problems with sheep and buttercups. Maybe consider a general sheep mineral as a lick?

It's long stuff, so you could find scald in feet.

 

[Jerry]

They’ll graze around it, but if kept tight they’ll eat it and do that a couple years and you’ll find they reduce.

Even better if you can lime as well.

 

[Benn]

Glad to hear it!
,hopefully only be in there max two weeks and wont hold them tight,

There have been horses grazing the field non stop for 10 + years with no health issues,

Hopefully get a reseed in the autumn.

 

[sheepdogtrail]

The secret to toxicity is dilution. Worse case, the lambs will develop scours. Not sure if flies are a issue for you, but if they are do some planning. I would not expect any gain on the lambs and lactation will be severely curtailed. If you can offer some dry rounds it would be better for lactation and fly issues.

I just moved a band of rams onto a 98% Buttercup field today. There is 1% clover (red and white) and 1% grass (PRG, Velvet Grass). I will watch them closely.

 

[czechmate]

We have an assortment of grass patches amongst the buildings which are something of a nuisance to manage. Someone has kept his horses on them for the last two years. I have noticed over the last weeks, these patches are all thick in buttercups now. Do horses create buttercups?

 

[primmiemoo]

We have an assortment of grass patches amongst the buildings which are something of a nuisance to manage. Someone has kept his horses on them for the last two years. I have noticed over the last weeks, these patches are all thick in buttercups now. Do horses create buttercups?

Horse muck never feeds the soil, so they create ideal conditions for buttercup.

 

[ShooTa]

Horse muck never feeds the soil, so they create ideal conditions for buttercup.

really? i doubt that - however the amount of chems pumped into horses it wouldnt suprise me either.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

really? i doubt that - however the amount of chems pumped into horses it wouldnt suprise me either.

Yes really.

Most horses are kept on pretty strict diets so as only to give them what they require and no more. That means what comes out is of little/ no nutritional value to the land.

 

[le bon paysan]

Do horses create buttercups?

There edited it for you , YES!!

 

[primmiemoo]

really? i doubt that - however the amount of chems pumped into horses it wouldnt suprise me either.

There's something about the way that horses deposit dung in particular places in the field that further reduces soil fertility. When not companion grazed or rotationally grazed alongside ruminants, horses do pull even the best ground over time.

Potent horse wormers are another problem. The ivermectin group ones are as damaging to soil insects in horse dung as in cattle and sheep dung. I would doubt most horses will need much worming where pasture and grazing are well managed. I think there is a lot more information and education available to do things properly, now, though.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

There's something about the way that horses deposit dung in particular places in the field that further reduces soil fertility. When not companion grazed or rotationally grazed alongside ruminants, horses do pull even the best ground over time.

Potent horse wormers are another problem. The ivermectin group ones are as damaging to soil insects in horse dung as in cattle and sheep dung. I would doubt most horses will need much worming where pasture and grazing are well managed. I think there is a lot more information and education available to do things properly, now, though.

I keep worming of my sheep to a minimum. Early lambs are never done, the rest get one dose and maybe a few get a second.
The vets 'manage' the horses health and do a fec regularly and virtually always recommend worming... just to be safe

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Interesting point is that dried buttercups lose their poisonous

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Dried buttercups in hay are not poisonous

 

[Bury the Trash]

interesting stuff here https://ww1.sruc.ac.uk/media/qrokfpiy/tn643-grassland-weed-management.pdf Benn
lots of minerals in it ,way more than in ryegrass it seems.
The C.buttercup survived horses as it is very low growing and they can ,if allowed to be, be very selective and find nicer tasting stuff round about.
got plenty around here but its never bothered us (i don't think) as long as there's grass in amongst it for them to choose.
btw if its sprayed about the only thing ime that will really get to grips with it is Aminopyralid