Poisoning of cattle by amaranthus

Authors: Duckworth RH
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 23, Issue 7, pp 154, Jul 1975
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Toxicology, Poisoning - plant, Poisoning - chemical
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: I would like to record a case of nitrate/nitrite poisoning in cattle that had been grazing a paddock in which Amaranthus hybridus group (redroot) stalk was the only vegetation available. This weed is extremely common in crops in this area and may often constitute a large proportion of the feed ingested. In the DSIR Bulletin Poisonous Plants in New Zealand (1948), Connor states that this weed has not been recorded as poisonous in New Zealand or Australia but points out that it has been found to accumulate nitrates in the stems and branches. In this case a paddock had been sown in crop but this had failed completely and the whole area had overgrown with redroot…

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