An evaluation of the susceptibility of goats to larkspur toxicosis

Authors: Welch, Kevin; Stonecipher, Clinton - Clint; Gardner, Dale; Green, Benedict - Ben; Cook, Daniel

Submitted to: Poisonous Plant Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/17/2020
Publication Date: 4/9/2020
Citation: Welch, K.D., Stonecipher, C.A., Gardner, D.R., Green, B.T., Cook, D. 2020. An evaluation of the susceptibility of goats to larkspur toxicosis. Poisonous Plant Research. 3:19-27. https://doi.org/10.26077/y7pp-q806.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26077/y7pp-q806

Interpretive Summary: Larkspur plants (Delphinium spp.) are abundant in western North American mountain rangelands. There are over 60 wild species of larkspur in North America. Larkspurs are acutely toxic to cattle, and as such, they cause a significant number of cattle death losses every year. Goats are often used as a small ruminant model to study poisonous plants, even though they can be more resistant to some poisonous plants. It is not known how susceptible goats are to the adverse effects of larkspurs. In this study, we evaluated the susceptibility of goats to larkspur toxicosis by performing a dose-response study. The data presented in this study demonstrate that goats are very resistant to the adverse effects of larkspurs. Further work is required to determine what factors, other than differences in the toxicokinetics of the larkspur alkaloids, are responsible for their resistance to larkspur toxicosis.

Technical Abstract: Larkspurs (Delphinium spp.) are a major cause of cattle losses in western North America, whereas sheep have been shown to be resistant to larkspur toxicosis. Goats are often used as a small ruminant model to study poisonous plants, even though they can be more resistant to some poisonous plants. It is not known how susceptible goats are to the adverse effects of larkspurs. In this study, we evaluated the susceptibility of goats to larkspur toxicosis by performing a dose-response study. We dosed goats with D. barbeyi collected near Cedar City, Utah at 3.3, 4.4, 6.6, 8.8 and 10.0 g plant material per kg body weight. None of the goats, at any of the doses, exhibited clinical signs typical of larkspur poisoning, including no observable muscle weakness. We conclude that goats are resistant to larkspur toxicosis, and thus it is very unlikely that goats would be poisoned by larkspur.