By Local Democracy & Public Affairs Reporter for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland,
not affiliated to the BBC LDRS
Rutland County Council Calls on Residents to Help Protect Grazing Livestock from Ragwort
Rutland County Council has issued an urgent appeal to local residents, landowners, and livestock keepers, asking for help to identify and report ragwort growing on council-managed highway verges where it threatens grazing animals.
While common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) is a native wildflower vital for local biodiversity serving as an essential food source for numerous insects it poses a serious health hazard to horses, cattle, and other grazing livestock if ingested, particularly when dried in hay or silage.
The council acknowledges the ecological value of ragwort in natural environments, but stresses that proactive management is crucial near agricultural land.
Ingestion of ragwort can cause cumulative and irreversible liver damage in horses and livestock.
Rather than a blanket eradication, the council will assess each reported location individually.
Control measures will be deployed strictly where ragwort on highway verges presents a genuine, immediate risk to nearby grazing animals, ensuring resources are directed where they are needed most.
How to Report Ragwort in Rutland
Residents and landowners who spot ragwort growing on council verges near livestock are encouraged to log the details online.
The council’s FixMyStreet service. https://rutland.fixmystreet.com/
'trees or vegetation: overgrown or overhanging'
The council is also welcoming reports of specific locations identified in previous years, allowing authorities to monitor those recurring areas throughout the current growing season.
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