![]() The animal goes down, gasps for breath and may convulse. Initially there is excitement and muscle tremors. ![]() When seen, clinical signs occur in rapid succession. When a lethal dose is consumed, animals die from asphyxiation in a few minutes. It interferes with oxygen use at the cellular level. HCN is one of the most potent, rapid-acting poisons known. Unfortunately for the livestock producer, often the only indication of prussic acid poisoning is dead animals. Lush regrowth after cutting for hay, grazing or frost is particularly dangerous. Toxicity also is more likely when periods of rapid growth are followed by cool, cloudy weather. The potential for poisoning is greater with excessive soil nitrogen and young plants. ![]() Occasionally, poisoning occurs when hot, dry winds induce temporary moisture stress in plants. The potential for accumulation and HCN toxicity increases during drought. Other materials with HCN potential include white clover, vetch seed and chokecherry.Īs with nitrate buildup, some stress usually triggers accumulation of cyanogenetic glycoside in plant tissue. The potential is greatest for johnsongrass and least for true sudans. In Colorado, plants most likely to cause HCN poisoning are sorghums. Thus plants that contain the glycoside have the potential to cause HCN toxicity when consumed Conditions in the rumen also favor degradation of the glycoside to free HCN. ![]() When plant cells are damaged by wilting, frosting or stunting, the glycoside degrades to form free HCN. However, several common plants can accumulate large quantities of cyanogenetic glycoside. Prussic acid, also called hydrocyanic (HCN), normally is not present in plants. There is a qualitative test for prussic acid potential in forages.Treatment of prussic acid poisoning, with a mixture of sodium nitrate and sodium thiosulfate or with methylene blue, can be successful if administered by a veterinarian soon after symptoms appear.A characteristic sign of prussic acid toxicity is bright cherry-red blood, a symptom that persists several hours after death.Prussic acid poisoning can be a lethal problem for cattle grazing sorghums.
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