In the last 25 years, ragwort has spread significantly, especially in steep terrain and on pastures that are rarely mown. The plant is very dangerous, especially since the poisoning cannot yet be treated.
How does ragwort poisoning manifest itself?
Rose ragwort poisoning causes animals to lose weight, refuse to eat, colic, diarrhea, uncoordinated movements and liver damage; In humans, it can take weeks or years to cause liver disease. Treatment is currently hopeless.
Toxicity
All parts of the plant are highly poisonous to both animals and humans. The toxins are also effective when dried in hay or silage. Flowers and young plants have the highest concentration of dangerous substances. Animals normally avoid the poisonous plant, but when it is widespread and in the first year of growth (rosette stage), the plant is often eaten. Dried in the hay, the cattle no longer differentiate and consume the highly toxic feed.
Effect of the poison
Jacobs ragwort contains so-called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA), which are metabolized in the liver to produce toxic products. The ingredients work:
- severely damaging to the liver
- can cause liver cancer
- harmful to both the genome and embryos.
Symptoms of ragwort poisoning
The initially occurring stomach and intestinal problems are often not yet associated with the enjoyment of the plant. In acute poisoning, severe liver damage occurs and the poisoning can be fatal.
Horses and cattle react particularly sensitively to the poison of jacaob ragwort. Sheep and goats as well as small animals are also at risk. Treating the animals is hopeless in both acute and chronic poisoning.
Symptoms in horses
Horses lose significant weight because they refuse food. In addition, colic, bloody diarrhea or constipation often occur. Uncoordinated movements, photosensitivity, yellowing of the eyelid conjunctiva due to liver damage or blindness can also be observed. The lethal dose is between 40 and 80 grams of fresh ragwort, depending on the animal's body weight.
Symptoms in cattle
Reduced milk production is initially noticeable here. The cattle refuse food and therefore lose weight. An abnormally full rumen, watery or bloody diarrhea and lethargy alternating with sudden agitation characterize the further course of the poisoning. The lethal dose is 140 grams of fresh ragwort per kilogram of animal weight.
Poisoning in humans
The poisoning only leads to liver disease in humans after weeks or even years. These are often no longer associated with the consumption of ragwort.
Tip
The hay from contaminated areas is no longer suitable as animal feed due to the toxicity of ragwort and must be destroyed or composted.
