WEEDS in pasture mean less grass for grazing and poorer quality forage where it is cut for hay, haylage or silage. Ragwort and buttercups can be poisonous/disruptive to the animal’s digestive system if there is little else to eat. Too much clover can lead to colic, laminitis and or weight issues with horses and ponies.

Perennial weeds such as docks, nettles, buttercups and thistles will grow back if simply cut or topped. By leaving them, they will set further seed or their root systems will expand further sending up more top growth.

Specifically developed

Product selection should be limited to translocated products that have been specifically developed to control weeds in grassland, as these deliver effective, long-lasting control, and negate the need for regular spraying year on year.

Envy works on a wide range of weeds such as buttercups, chickweed, daisy and docks. It is very safe to grass, and as long as ragwort is not present, horses only need to be removed for seven days post-application. There will also be no herbicide residues in any manure that might subsequently be collected.

If the weeds have grown too large, they will need chopping down and the regrowth treated two to three weeks later. This ensures the leaves are all the same size and are healthy and actively growing, which will take the herbicide up well.

Where weeds are growing in small, defined groups, spraying with Grazon® Pro using a knapsack or a handheld lance from a quad-bike is an option – again only by people who are appropriately qualified. As well as docks, nettles and thistles, these products will also control brambles, broom and gorse.

Where ragwort is the main problem, it can be sprayed with a selective herbicide containing the active ingredient 2,4-D. This is best done when the plants are young and actively growing. Horses must be kept out of the fields until the ragwort has decayed and broken down or been completely removed. You can find out more at https://www.corteva.ie/forage.html