Unfortunately, it's that time of year again where the sycamore seedlings have started shooting up. I thought it might be helpful to have a think about what we can do as horse owners to prevent atypical myopathy (the disease associated with these pesky plants). The simple answer is to remove all access to any seeds, seedlings and leaves, however this is not always simple to achieve!
The best thing we can do to reduce risk is to totally avoid grazing paddocks known to have seedlings/nearby trees in the high risk periods (Spring and Autumn). It is important to note that seeds can travel up to 200 yards!
If this is not an option, pulling the seedlings out by hand or mowing (ensuring all cuttings are collected and removed) will help reduce the amount of toxic material available to eat. Mowed seedlings are likely to grow back quicker than those pulled out. The same concept of collecting seeds in autumn applies.
Spraying is NOT a reliable way to reduce risk as studies have shown that even sprayed off seedlings still contain the toxin responsible for causing disease for up to 6-8 months.
Providing supplementary forage if grazing is poor can help to reduce foraging for plants other than grass, therefore reduce risk, however avoid feeding from the floor where seeds or seedlings are prevalent.
Harrowing grazing land has been shown to increase the risk of disease, likely due to spreading sycamore material across a wider area. Therefore, avoiding harrowed land in high risk periods may help to reduce risk.
Toxin levels can differ hugely from tree to tree and year on year. Testing is available for seeds and seedlings to assess the toxin levels in those specific to your land.
To find out more about the signs of Atypical Myopathy or how the toxin causes disease check out our other blogs on this subject - click here and here.
If you have any questions regarding Atypical Myopathy, as always don't hesitate to get in touch! Holly x
