![]() Aftermath sprouts following an early frost are particularly dangerous. These plants are usually deadly when damaged or frozen. Sudan grass and sorghums are also cyanogenetic plants. Small branches and leaves broken off and blown by winds during a tornado, a hurricane, or a strong storm can land in a pasture, wilt, and become very dangerous to livestock ingesting them. These trees do not have to be directly growing in the paddocks where the animals graze. ![]() These leaves apparently lose their poison after they have become dry the limp, green or partially yellowed leaves are the most dangerous. Hydrocyanic acid content varies widely, but under some conditions a few handfuls of leaves may be enough to kill a horse or cow. This type of poisoning should be suspected when sudden death of animals follows windstorms or early sharp frosts. The sweet, wilted leaves are thus more attractive to animals than normal foliage. Wilting of the green leaves caused by frost, storm damage, or by cutting, changes a glucoside (glycoside) found in the leaves to hydrocyanic acid (HCN) and sugar. Peaches, plums, wild cherry, and other stone fruits belong to this group of plants. Members of the prunus family of plants, especially wild cherries, are dangerous. Death in these cases is usually rapid and with little outward symptoms. These contain under certain conditions, prussic acid (hydrocyanic acid), a deadly poison that interferes with the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood. Some plants may contain several poisonous principles.Ĭyanogenetic Plants (glucosides, glycosides) They may be grouped by the type of poison contained, the effect of their toxins or the part of the plant containing the poison. Some of the plants are well known, some quite rare, some are useful, others are valued ornamentals. Scores of plants contain material toxic to animals if eaten in sufficient quantity. Therefore some livestock can eat some of the bad plants and under several of the mentioned conditions, fail to show symptoms of injury or poisoning. The severity of poisoning is related to the quantity of material eaten, the specie of animal eating the plant, portion of the plant and condition of the plant eaten, level of ground moisture, general health of the animal prior to ingesting the substance and the age and size of the animal. Goats and cattle like to vary the best kind of diet with a little “browse.” Many ornamental or wild shrubs may be consumed, not because they are palatable but because the animal craves variation in its diet. They may eat unpalatable weeds or ornamental plants growing along fences. Some animals on good feed in a dry lot or excellent pasture become bored with the same regular diet. Another type of accidental poisoning occurs when large amounts of cockle are present in wheat, which is fed as grain. Animals eager to eat the fresh young grass may accidentally bite off the crown of this plant with fatal results. This plant emerges in wet areas, which are the first to become green in early spring. A notable example of this is water hemlock. These are usually eaten only when animals have nothing else to eat.Īnimals accidentally eat certain plants as they graze. Most woodland or swampy-ground pastures contain many species of poisonous plants. (Previously published online with NC State Extension: September 17, 2020)Īs winter feed supplies run low and with producers eager to turn livestock out to pasture this spring, do yourself and your stock a favor by scouting for poisonous plants in your pasture this spring.įactors contributing to plant poisoning are starvation, accidental eating, and browsing habits of animals. Luginbuhl, Extension Specialist (Goats and Forage Systems), North Carolina State University Examples are given of the use of grazing animals for weed control in crops and forestry.J.M. Goats are capable of browsing on and controlling spiny or poisonous brush weeds, including gorse and poison ivy, without suffering adverse effects. ![]() Introducing a different class of stock, like sheep into a cattle system or goats into a sheep system can control many weeds. Adjusting grazing pressure can also improve the growth of desirable pasture species so that these are more competitive and able to resist invasion of annual or biennial weeds. Increasing sheep or cattle stocking rates prevents animals from grazing selectively and can help control some weeds. Although grazing animals themselves often cause weed problems in pasture, adjusting grazing timing or intensity or both can sometimes redress the balance. Weeds of pastures are the most suitable subjects for control, although weeds of arable crops, forestry, and waste places are sometimes amenable to control by grazing animals. Availability of animals and the ability to fence them onto or off weed infestations are essential. Literature on the effectiveness of grazing animals (especially cattle, goats, and sheep) in controlling weeds is reviewed.
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