Body Condition Affects Blood Alkaloid and Monoterpene Kinetics and Voluntary Intake of Chemically-Defended Plants by Livestock

Authors: LAUNCHBAUGH, KAREN - UNIV. OF IDAHO; Pfister, James; LOPEZ-ORTIZ, SILVIA - UNIV. OF IDAHO; FROST, RACHEL - UNIV. OF IDAHO

Submitted to: Poisonous Plant Global Research and Solutions
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/31/2006
Publication Date: 6/20/2007
Citation: Launchbaugh, K., Pfister, J.A., Lopez-Ortiz, S., Frost, R. 2007. Body Condition Affects Blood Alkaloid and Monoterpene Kinetics and Voluntary Intake of Chemically-Defended Plants by Livestock. Poisonous Plant Global Research and Solutions, Chpt. 66, pp. 394 - 400.

Interpretive Summary: Poisonous plants are a substantial component of grazinglands worldwide. Higher losses to poisonous plants are often observed in times of drought or at high stocking rates. Increased incidences of fatal poisoning may occur because plants can be more toxic under these conditions or because limited access to alternative forages may induce livestock to eat excessive and lethal amounts of toxic plants. Limited access to nutritious forage alternatives could also limit chemical resources necessary for detoxification in the animal. Furthermore, long-term nutrient deprivation results in loss of body weight and condition which could then increase an animal’s susceptibility to toxic plants by compromising their ability to detoxify and process toxic plant compounds. Livestock body condition may therefore strongly affect consumption of poisonous plants and detoxification of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). We examined the consumption of velvet lupine (Lupinus leucophyllus) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) by cattle and consumption of red berry juniper (Juniperus coahuilensis) by goats. Our research suggests that animals in low body condition are likely to eat greater quantities of chemically defended plants than are animals in higher body condition. These findings suggest that livestock managers should monitor body condition to reduce consumption and negative effects of poisonous plants on grazing animals.

Technical Abstract: Poisonous plants are a substantial component of grazinglands worldwide. Higher losses to poisonous plants are often observed in times of drought or at high stocking rates. Increased incidences of fatal poisoning may occur because plants can be more toxic under these conditions or because limited access to alternative forages may induce livestock to eat excessive and lethal amounts of toxic plants. Limited access to nutritious forage alternatives could also limit chemical resources necessary for biotransformation and detoxification. Furthermore, long-term nutrient deprivation results in loss of body weight and condition which could then increase an animal’s susceptibility to toxic plants by compromising their ability to detoxify and process toxic plant compounds. An herbivores’ body condition may therefore strongly affect consumption of poisonous plants and detoxification of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). We examined the consumption of velvet lupine (Lupinus leucophyllus) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) by cattle and consumption of red berry juniper (Juniperus coahuilensis) by goats. Our research suggests that animals in low body condition are likely to eat greater quantities of chemically defended plants than animals in higher body condition. These findings suggest that livestock managers should monitor body condition to mitigate consumption and effects of poisonous plants on grazing animals. Researchers are also behooved to consider body condition when designing experiments on the consumption and metabolic fate of PSMs.