ADSC 3600 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Hemoglobin, Spasm, List Of Poisonous Plants
12 Apr 2017
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Under periods of stress, plant growth slows and nitrates accumulate in the plant. Feed nitrogen in summer when drought, cool cloudy day: some plants are more likely to accumulate nitrates more than others: Corn, sorghum, soybeans, fescue, bermuda grass, etc. Nitrates interfere with transport of oxygen in the blood- binds to hemoglobin. Symptoms of nitrate toxicity: low milk, reduced gains, convulsions, abortions, death- can kill a cow in 30 minutes. Certain grasses contain this: johnson grass, sorghum, sundan grass, wild cherry. Prussic acid (hydrocyanic acid) can build to toxic levels in the plants. Young, tender growth following a frost or after long drought. Symptoms include: rapid breathing, muscle spasms, death. Prussic acid levels if you cut hay and bale it. Plants killed by frost are safe after about one week. Also, grass tetany is known as grass staggers, wheat pasture poisoning, hypomagnesium. Usually occurs on lush, growing green forages aka cool season annuals (wheat and rye)
