MS reduced flowering, but induced multi-stem development in the second year. SS hoggets reached 63 kg liveweight at 20 months and no liver damage was found. Chemical control can be successful but legume growth and function is often affected by chemical sprays.
Ragwort is toxic at all growth stages to ruminant livestock.
Acute poisoning is frequently found in young cattle fed ragwort-contaminated hay, but because the alkaloid is a cumulative toxin, prolonged intake of a low level of ragwort may also lead to chronic poisoning. Consequently, farmers typically use cull ewes to eat-off flowering ragwort. A cattle-only treatment constituted the 'control'. During rotations of 30-50 days, cattle passed through paddocks with SS sheep. Sheep were mob-stocked in later October, mid December, early February and mid March.