RAGWORT

Ragwort, Senecio jacobaea L., is a biennial or perennial herb, reproducing from crowns, roots and seeds.
Ragwort is a herbaceous plant — Forb (flowering herbaceous plant — not a grass) Yellow flowers of Ragwort.

Ragwort contains alkaloid toxins that, if eaten by horses or any grazing animal, can have debilitating or fatal consequences. The highest concentration of toxin is found in the pollen, then in order, the leaves, stems and roots. The effect of the toxin is cumulative and irrevocable, and as it builds up in the body results in liver failure. The build up is undetectable until it finally reaches the critical level at which symptoms occur (DPIWE 2002; AgResource 2006). Dairy cattle forced to eat Ragwort produce tainted milk (McLaren & Faithfull 2004). In addition to its health impacts, Ragwort is a major pasture weed particularly on land grazed by cattle and horses and on dairy farms. Dairy cattle forced to graze ragwort produce tainted milk. It produces dense foliage close to the ground which suppresses and prevents regeneration of other vegetation. Ragwort competes strongly with more desirable plants, reducing pasture productivity and the value of agricultural land, and can be invasive in forestry plantations (Agriculture Victoria 2021). The ability of each Ragwort plant to produce tens of thousands of seeds, combined with its capacity to regenerate from root or crown fragments, gives Ragwort an amazing capacity to spread. Once established, Ragwort can overwhelm pasture and reduce its livestock carrying capacity (DPIWE 2002; AgResource 2006).

Ragwort is most common and widespread in southern Victoria and Tasmania. Scattered infestations are also found throughout some other parts of Victoria and in south-eastern South Australia, south-eastern New South Wales and south-western Western Australia 

Spray FireHawk Bioherbicide Concentrate: 50 mL/L of water. Respray when regrowth occurs from roots and/or runners. May require repeated application to obtain long-term weed control.