Plant Poisonings

Question 1

Panicum photosensitivity

“Dikoor”

Answer 1

Wilted panicum spp

Red and swollen face/ears, yellow mucous mem, appetite decreases, skin peels

Slaughtered if advanced, shade, water (tube) sugar and vinegar into water, manage panicum pastures

Question 2

Annual ryegrass toxicity

Answer 2

Eelworms

Hypersensitivity, M. twitch, unsteady gait, convulsions

Sedative

Question 3

Salsola poisoning

“Groot lambsiekte”

Answer 3

Saosola bush, proliferates during drought and eaten

Throat/jaw swell, abd distends, rectal prolapse, prolonged pregnancy
PM- bloated abd, yellow-grey speckled kidneys, thickened abd and rectal walls

Remove source, feed and water NB

Question 4

Dipcadi poisoning

“Malkop”

Answer 4

Dicapdi glaucum (young green in dry summers)

Listless, run only once touched, can’t drink, coma, death

Clean camp, drink and eat, time for graze recovery

Question 5

Geigera poisoning

“Vermeersiekte”

Answer 5

Geigera plant produces toxins that damage M.

Vomit, stiff, paralyzed, chokes on own vomit - green discharge mouth and nose

AB, time for graze recovery

Question 6

Prussic acid poisoning

“Gielsiekte”

Answer 6

Cynodon spp. Toxic when lush

Dead on veld, difficult breathing, convulsions, blue membranes

NaSO4 or NaSO3 dose in early stages, lick 5% S and 10% NaSO4, graze at night

Question 7

Phytobezoars

Cause “bitter bush”

Answer 7

Bushman grass overtakes pasture, eat flower heads, matted balls in abomasum

Stop eating, lose weight, bloated abd but emaciated body

Slaughter before lose condition, long term graze mgmt

Question 8

OTHER
Nitrate poisoning
“Methaemoglobinaemia”

Answer 8

Green plants poisonous when eat too much, abs into body = MHg formation

Can’t breathe, die suddenly of shock, staggering, M. spasms, brown blood PM

Inj methylene blue, time to adjust to lush pasture, avoid fertilized/wilted pastures from last 3wks

Question 9

OTHER

Ionophore poisoning

Answer 9

Incorrect mixing, monensin/lasalocid

Eat too little, can’t balance
PM- water in abd cavity, foamy dark red lungs, white stripes on heart, enlarged liver

No treatment, don’t handle or disturb, shelter, fresh water and safe feed

Question 10

Tribulosis

“Geeldikkop”

Answer 10

T.terrestis
Wilting in hot weather, fungus grows toxic

Itchy head, red skin, swollen ears, yellow membranes (and carcass/lover in PM)

Move to shade, food and water, would oil to damaged skin, manage veld to graze before wilt