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Cyanide poisoning in cattle from Dysphania glomulifera (red crumbweed): using the internet for rapid plant identification and diagnostic advice
Author(s) -
McKenzie RA,
Burren BG,
Noble JW,
Thomas MB
Publication year - 2007
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.1751-0813.2007.00216.x
Subject(s) - cyanide , zoology , herd , hectare , dry matter , cyanide poisoning , donkey , brahman , toxicology , biology , medicine , veterinary medicine , breed , chemistry , ecology , inorganic chemistry , agriculture
A 300‐strong Angus‐Brahman cattle herd near Springsure, central Queensland, was being fed Acacia shirleyi (lancewood) browse during drought and crossed a 5‐hectare, previously burnt area with an almost pure growth of Dysphania glomulifera subspecies glomulifera (red crumbweed) on their way to drinking water. Forty cows died of cyanide poisoning over 2 days before further access to the plant was prevented. A digital image of a plant specimen made on a flat‐bed scanner and transmitted by email was used to identify D glomulifera . Specific advice on the plant's poisonous properties and management of the case was then provided by email within 2 hours of an initial telephone call by the field veterinarian to the laboratory some 600 km away. The conventional method using physical transport of a pressed dried plant specimen to confirm the identification took 5 days. D glomulifera was identified in the rumen of one of two cows necropsied. The cyanogenic potential of D glomulifera measured 4 days after collection from the site of cattle deaths was 18,600 mg HCN/kg in dry matter. The lethal dose of D glomulifera for a 420 kg cow was estimated as 150 to 190 g wet weight. The plant also contained 4.8% KNO 3 equivalent in dry matter, but nitrate‐nitrite poisoning was not involved in the deaths.