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COBALT PELLETS AND HELZOTROPIUM EUROPAEUM POISONING IN PENNED SHEEP
Author(s) -
LANIGAN G. W.,
WHITTEM J. H.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1970.tb14875.x
Subject(s) - pellets , rumen , pyrrolizidine , zoology , grazing , body weight , cobalt , medicine , pyrrolizidine alkaloid , alkaloid , physiology , biology , chemistry , food science , botany , inorganic chemistry , paleontology , fermentation
Summary Twenty‐five sheep in single pens were fed for up to 16 months a ration containing up to 40% (air dry weight basis) of Heliotropium europaeum. Thirteen of these sheep had two cobalt pellets administered into their rumen before commencement of feeding. The other twelve sheep constituted the control group and were not treated in any way. The sheep in both groups developed the characteristic live pathology of chronic pyrrolizidine alkaloidosis to varying degrees. The median chronic lethal oral dose of Heliotropium europaeum alkaloids for sheep was found to be 23–33 g/kg body weight, expressed as heliotrine equivalent. This is 15–20 times the established mean total lethal parenteral dose of heliotrine when chronically administered to rats. Prior administration of cobalt pellets did not reduce morbidity or mortality rate. Thus it is concluded that cobalt pellets are unlikely to be an effective prophylactic agent for sheep exposed to H. europaeum grazing. This finding is discussed in relation to present knowledge of pyrrolizidine alkaloid metabolism in the rumen.