**-  Northern Plains  
-  Logan, UT 
-  Poisonous Plant Research 
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**Location: Poisonous Plant Research**
**2006 Annual Report**
**4d.Progress report.**													This report serves to document research conducted under a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and Washington State University. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project, #5428-31320-003-00D, Ameliorating Livestock Losses from Abortifacient and Teratogenic Plants.
"Crooked Calf Syndrome" is a disease of calves manifest by skeletal birth defects and cleft palate that occur when cows in early pregnancy ingest lupines that contain teratogenic alkaloids. Calves with severe deformities cannot stand and must be euthanized. Calves with cleft palate often develop pneumonia and die shortly after birth. Less severely affected calves (bent limbs) are viable but not suited to the range conditions in this region. In affected areas it is common for ranches to have 1% to 5 % of calves born affected but periodically, 40% or more of calves are affected. Ranches in the scabland of central Washington experienced such losses in 1997 (40 % to 100 % losses on individual ranches) and since 1980 have experienced 7 years with high incidence. The affected area is semi-arid extensive rangeland and is unsuitable for agricultural use other than grazing.  Crooked Calf Syndrome is a severe constraint to the economic viability and sustainability of ranches and the local support community. Ranches cannot survive in the face of these losses in excess of 40% as occurred in 1997 and other high incidence years. There is no control procedure for herds that calve in the spring other than the use of herbicides which is ecologically unsound and of limited efficacy. Furthermore, elimination of lupines may not be the best policy because lupines are legumes that build soil nutrients, contain high levels of protein and may provide important late season nutrition for grazing cattle, but not pregnant cows in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Research the last 5 years has determined relative risk on individual ranches by identifying which species are endemic and determining alkaloid profiles and concentrations in those species. We determined when and why cattle graze lupines in relationship to availability of other forages and environmental conditions. We determined certain animal factors that predispose cattle to graze lupines and provided preliminary data on absorption, distribution and elimination of the teratogenic alkaloid anagyrine in pregnant cows. 
While multiple lupine species were identified and analyzed on ranches in this region we determined that a single species (Lupinus leucophyllus) is problematic as it contains the teratogen, anagyrine, and is widespread on most ranches experiencing lupine losses in the region. Alkaloid profiles and concentrations have been studied the last five years and there was substantial year to year variation in total alkaloid concentration of lupines at all sites. Total alkaloid concentration over the 5 year period varied from a minimum of two-fold at one site to a maximum of eight-fold at another site. In any one year the change-trend in total alkaloid concentration was the same at each site and there were years where all sites had high alkaloid concentration in lupines and years where all sites had low alkaloid concentrations. Alkaloid concentration in lupines varies with the stage of growth, it is moderately high in the young growing leaf material, decreases in concentration in the more mature leaf growth, is high in the flower bud and highest in the seed. The results reported in this study were from samples collected in mid May when approximately 25% of the lupines are in early flower and were taken as bud samples in an attempt to minimize growth stage variability. 
There was also marked year to year variation in the proportion of the total alkaloids represented by any single individual alkaloid and a marked variation in the proportion represented by anagyrine. Percent anagyrine in total alkaloid varied from 8 to 62%, 22 to 84%, 31 to 67% and 15 to 70% at four sites over five years. The trend to a higher or lower percentage of anagyrine in the total alkaloid was similar in any one year for all four sites. 
The majority of lupine ingestion occurs between the first of July and the middle of August after most grasses have dried or been depleted by grazing. Lupines remain green for longer periods during the summer and the flowers and seed pods contain relatively high levels of protein and other nutrients. Thus, as the availability of perennial grasses and forbs senesced or dried up, in mid July, cattle started to ingest lupines selecting a combination of the dry, dessicated lupine leaves and the younger, green leaves and pods. Cows actively sought out the new seedlings that germinated during late summer. Late summer rains influenced the availability and growth of these seedlings which impacted the grazing of lupines and available grasses.  	Lactating cows were fed Lupinus leucophyllus and significant levels of teratogenic alkaloids were detected in the blood and milk of these cows. Preliminary data was collected on the absorption and elimination profiles determined in blood and milk. Cows that gave birth to crooked calves and cows from the same pastures that gave birth to normal calves were gavaged with lupine containing high concentrations of anagyrine to determine if there is a difference in the absorption or elimination of anagyrine between the two groups. No differences were found on the incidence of crooked calves or from the effects of lupine on the suppression of fetal activity as determined by ultrasound.  
There is little information on the effects of body condition (thin vs fat cows) on ingestion and or metabolism of poisonous plants. Native cows preconditioned and classified as fat or thin were used in a grazing study on the scabland pastures.  Thin cows grazed over a longer period of time on any given day and ingested significantly more lupine. Eventually all animals ate substantial quantities of lupine, but thin cows ate more lupine, thus we believe the risk of intoxication is particularly high for thin cows compared to cattle with higher body condition.  Furthermore, preliminary data in average condition vs thin sheep suggested that anagyrine was absorbed more rapidly and eliminated more slowly by the thin sheep. Therefore, animals in low body condition appear to be more at risk of poisoning from lupines than animals in average or high body condition
Even though much research has been accomplished and we more fully understand when and why cattle graze lupine, important questions remain unanswered that are needed to manage lupine grazing. Some of these questions include: (1) How do environmental factors influence lupine survival, population cycles and toxin profiles; (2) How much lupine and for how long does a pregnant cow need to graze lupine to result in crooked calves; (3) Why do cattle graze lupines and what drives cattle to eat lupine when they do; (4) What is the disposition of anagyrine and other teratogens in the fetal compartment; (5) Can a biomarker be identified in cattle as a tool to select for resistance or sensitivity to the effects of lupine; (6) What improved management strategies can be recommended for ranchers to reduce losses. We believe that answering these research questions and others will not only benefit producers in eastern Washington but will help all ranchers that manage rangelands with poisonous plants.						
    Project TeamPanter, Kip Pfister, James Ralphs, Michael  
Project Annual Reports FY 2009 FY 2008 FY 2007 FY 2006 
Related National Programs Rangeland, Pasture, and Forages(215) Animal Health(103)  							Last Modified: 05/10/2010 		ARS Home |USDA.gov |Site Map |Policies and Links FOIA |Accessibility Statement |Privacy Policy |Nondiscrimination Statement |Information Quality |USA.gov |White House

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