Poisonous weeds?

cowboysupper

Member
Mixed Farmer
My in laws have a few small fields that have not been grazed in years but with a little TLC could be useful. While dandering around them earlier I spied a couple of weeds which I’m unsure of and as to whether they are poisonous to livestock. Pretty sure one is cows parsnip as opposed to hog weed, but have no idea about the other. Any thoughts? They’re the sort of fields which would need grazed a bit before you might have success with a herbicide.
 

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I don’t think it’s hogweed. I’ve seen it’s mature size last summer and the stem maybe extends to 4/5ft high. Does hog weed not grow much bigger?

Is buddleia poisonous?

Both can be dug out at this stage. We have that hogweedy stuff down the roadsides. Grows 3-4’ and stems get hollow. Long taproot, if you dig,
No idea whether either are poisonous or not.
 
Location
East Mids
I cant see buddleia sticking a couple of goes with the topper. Hogweed is a pita. Best hit with forefront but too early for that yet.

2L ha forefront and 100-200ml Solar plus in plenty of water ie 200L/ha plus and good steady spraying. You may find some hogweed survivors at a low enough level you can dig them out or spot spray.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Agree with other posters that the problem looks like Common Hogweed. Got this in some of my margins and its getting a PITA as its spreading badly... It'll get the treatment as below this summer!

We found a Giant Hogweed plant/s adjacent to the front window of one of our tenanted cottages 2 years ago. I am happy to report that 50/50 Roundup 480 injected into the stem made it feel VERY poorly. I used an old hypodermic and large bore needle to do the job... wearing gloves.
 

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
Common hogweed has a distinctive smell - appetising, imo. It's related to angelica, and can be eaten. My family have offered clean, fresh, young leaves to poorly equines, bovines and ovines as a pick-me-up for generations.
The hollow stems can be made into pea shooters, and whistles by children with too much time on their hands.

Giant hogweed, otoh :eek:

Injection with glyphosate is the only way to get rid. Heavy duty protective kit including eye protection and barrier cream is essential to avoid photosensitivity from its sap.

The buddleia can be dug out, but don't leave any roots.
 

windymiller

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
mid wales

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
Sorry to hijack the thread but how much ivy can be given to an ill ewe? I had a ewe go ill, aborted triplets 10 days early, she came to milk after 2 days but didn’t bother with the lambs, didn’t drink water, eat barley or silage, I gave her a calcium jab and twin lamb drench and she stood up but still no appetite, I then gave her a 2 litre bucket of ivy leaves, she ate it all, started mothering the lambs, came to milk and is now almost normal although is slow, today she had a 4 litre bucket of ivy leaves and is getting better, at what point does it become poisonous to them?
 

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