Herd Health

Closely Check Pastures at Turnout for Potential Poisonings

Roy Lewis DVM

Much has been written about the classic lead poisonings we see when cattle consume lead plates from broken down batteries. There are many other causes of poisonings in cattle at pasture many of which cause death and which there is no antidote. We must prevent these whenever possible. I have personally seen some of these and will go over areas where they are encountered and stress why pastures need a quick check over each spring before cattle are released.

There was a recent veterinary report by Drs. Barry Blakely, Lorrie Fraser and Cheryl Waldner on poisoning by Sodium Chlorate, a herbicide and type of soil sterilant. Because it has sodium in it there is a salty taste which attracts cattle. Our practice also experienced this same poisoning several years ago where a producer lost over ten cows when some Sodium Chlorate had been left on a pasture. The cattle gained access when they were turned out in the spring. This case went to court but the judge ruled the producer was at fault for not checking the pasture before the cattle were released and was as much to blame as the person that had left the product!

Cattle are inquisitive and are not fussy eaters so will nibble at most things. The products like sodium chlorate and battery plates which are also salty are especially hazardous. My best advice is when checking pastures pay close attention to three main areas. One is fence lines especially along roadsides. Products can be thrown out of vehicles and get onto your pastures. We have known about batteries for a long time but many more are now used for electric fencers and solar water pumps. Don’t leave these when they no longer retain charge. Remove them and have them properly recycled. Your problem typically will not be right away but after several years when the batteries crack, break open and expose the extremely toxic lead plates. After several years of overgrowth these batteries become extremely hard to find.

The second hazardous area is old garbage dumps and burrow pits. Most old farms had an area where old equipment metal and other miscellaneous garbage was left to decompose or was burned. Check these areas closely every spring and fence them off if possible. Weathering and the freeze thaw cycle may expose hazardous products that were buried long ago. Have a check through these areas both at spring turnout and late in the fall when pastures are short. This is when cattle searching more forage will start to root in bush areas. Calves are very inquisitive and often will be the first to consume these products and show clinical signs. Also because of their smaller size need a much lower dose to develop clinical signs.

The third and most common source of poisonings is around abandoned yard sites or abandoned vehicles. Most old yard sites on the prairies are left perhaps because of a sense of nostalgia history and preserving our heritage so they are never properly cleaned up. Doors breakdown or other openings are created for access to buildings. Cattle will explore these areas and old garages especially could contain several old products which could be very harmful to cattle. Years ago all the paints were lead based and there were much less controls on herbicides insecticides cleansers and the like. Containers or bags slowly breakdown over time. These old garages have kept the elements like rain or snow from breaking down the products. While these old archived sites may contain some treasures like stashes of money they may also contain very harmful products for your livestock. Check them out.

Any time you rent or take over new pasture be sure and ask the owner if there are any old yard sites, dump areas, or other places the public has access too. The yard sites may be secluded in the bush and hard to find. Other questions asked may be has any stuff been hauled in like fill dirt or other products from industrial sites. Has their been any gas or oil activity where lots of people, equipment and products have accessed the land.

Check your own premises closely this spring before turnout. An especially good time is when checking and repairing fences. Properly remove and recycle old batteries and any other toxic chemicals not in use. Even if livestock recover from toxic ingestion with products such as lead there is also the age old question when would the milk or meat be fit to be consumed? These various compounds can often cause permanent internal organ damage resulting in poor doing unproductive animals in the future as well. Some of the insecticides there may be an antidote for but that is if they are founds in time and that rarely is the case as most of these poisonings occur at pasture in the spring or fall when cattle are not being observed as closely.

Be diligent, check this spring and let’s try to avoid the panic call of several dead cattle being found. This is especially traumatic when it is preventable. This is true to the saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Happy grazing.