Poisonous plant

Although not poisonous at all, we have included fruit trees, because during the autumn when they are full of fruit, the fruit can cause digestive upsets in donkeys. We recommend that the trees should be fenced off to prevent donkeys gorging themselves on the fruit.

Further information

The following books are recommended for further information:

• The British Oaks are usually deciduous trees up to 30 m tall with rough, fissured bark and broad spreading branches. Leaves have smoothly indented wavy margins, and the acorns are shed when ripe. If animals eat a large quantity of oak leaves or acorns then oak poisoning is likely.

• Yew is considered by some to be the most toxic plant in Britain, and its poison, which is most toxic in winter, is absorbed rapidly from the digestive tract and interferes with the heart action.
• In many cases animals die only a few hours after eating yew, so signs are never seen.

• This evergreen climber is found all over UK, it is tough and attaches itself to trees, fences or walls and even climbs along the ground.
• Leaves are dark green and often in the shape of a triangle.
• If large quantities of leaves and berries are eaten it can become serious.

• Wild privet is a branched shrub, found on chalky soils and garden privet is a popular hedge plant.
• The wild species has narrow, pointed, smooth leaves that are bright green and shiny when young and become darker and dull as they mature.
• Those of the garden privet are shorter; rarely more than 3cm long and are more oval in shape with small white flowers with a tubular base and a sweetish smell, black berries appear in the autumn.

• Bracken is a common fern that grows throughout Britain and you must be careful it does not dominate your grassland.
• The whole plant contains several toxic substances, some of which remain after cutting and drying. The root of bracken is five times more poisonous than the fronds.

• All varieties are poisonous but field horsetail and marsh horsetail are most likely to cause poisoning.
• It is a perennial plant with creeping underground stems from which green, jointed, upright stems grow in spring.
• Poisoning is most likely to occur when horsetail is present in hay or bedding.

Ragwort - High Risk and a common cause of chronic liver disease. Ragwort acts as a cumulative poison, eventually destroying the liver.

• Ragwort is a yellow flowering weed and is poisonous both dead and alive.
• Ragwort can cause serious liver damage over a period of time.
• Ragwort must be pulled with gloves in the early floret stage and burnt.
• Be very aware of this weed both on your pasture and in the hay.