Cattle suffering prussic acid poisoning in Oklahoma
7/6/2022 12:00:00 AM
CATEGORIES:
Agriculture
Plants & Wildlife
AFFECTED AREAS:
Alfalfa County, OK
Beaver County, OK
Beckham County, OK
Cimarron County, OK
Cotton County, OK
Dewey County, OK
Ellis County, OK
Garfield County, OK
Grant County, OK
Greer County, OK
Harmon County, OK
Harper County, OK
Jackson County, OK
Jefferson County, OK
Kiowa County, OK
Major County, OK
Roger Mills County, OK
Texas County, OK
Tillman County, OK
Washita County, OK
Woods County, OK
Woodward County, OK
Start Date: 6/28/2022
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While prussic acid poisoning is usually a concern in the fall after a frost, problems can also arise in forages during intense drought. Sorghum species, including johnsongrass, can be deadly for livestock due to the prussic acid, also known as hydrocyanic acid or cyanide.
Some cattle operations in parts of Oklahoma have encountered this recently. When the stressed forage is consumed by cattle, the prussic acid is absorbed into the bloodstream and prevents cells from taking up oxygen.
Hay & Forage Grower (Fort Atkinson, Wis.), June 28, 2022
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