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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #374548
Research Project: Understanding and Mitigating the Adverse Effects of Poisonous Plants on Livestock Production Systems

Location: Poisonous Plant Research

Title: Spontaneous abortion in cattle after consumption of Hesperocyparis (Cupressus) macrocarpa (Hartw.) Bartel and Cupressus arizonica (Greene) needles in Uruguay

Author
item BURONI, FLORENCIA - Universidad Del La Republica
item Gardner, Dale
item BOABAID, FABIANA - Universidad Del La Republica
item OLIVEIRA, LUIZ - National Agricultural Research Institute(INIA)
item DE NAVA, GUILLERMO - Dr Guillermo De Nava Silva, Veterinarian
item LOPEZ, FABIANA - Universidad Del La Republica
item RIET-CORREA, FRANKLIN - National Agricultural Research Institute(INIA)

Submitted to: Toxicon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/25/2020
Publication Date: 7/15/2020
Citation: Buroni, F., Gardner, D.R., Boabaid, F.M., Oliveira, L.G., De Nava, G., Lopez, F., Riet-Correa, F. 2020. Spontaneous abortion in cattle after consumption of Hesperocyparis (Cupressus) macrocarpa (Hartw.) Bartel and Cupressus arizonica (Greene) needles in Uruguay. Toxicon. 181:53-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.04.104.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.04.104

Interpretive Summary: An outbreak of cattle abortion associated with the consumption of needles from Monterey cypress (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa) and Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica) trees in Uruguay is reported. Twenty-five of 125 pregnant heifers in late-term pregnancy aborted after being introduced into a paddock containing numerous shelter trees including Monterey cypress, Arizona cypress and river oak (Casuarina cunninghamiana). There were no significant clinical findings in the two aborted fetuses collected and analyzed. Many of the affected cows were found with retained placenta after abortion similar to that observed in late term abortions caused by ponderosa pine needles in North America. Abortifacient labdane acids were detected in the needles of Monterey cypress (1.68%, D.W.) and Arizona cypress (0.36%, D.W.) but none were found in river oak. It was concluded that the abortions were caused by incidental ingestion of needles from the Monterey cypress and Arizona cypress trees.

Technical Abstract: An outbreak of cattle abortion associated with the consumption of Hesperocyparis (Cupressus) macrocarpa and Cupressus arizonica needles has been reported in Uruguay. Twenty-five of 125 pregnant heifers in late-term pregnancy aborted after being introduced into a paddock containing numerous H. macrocarpa, C. arizonica and Casuarina cunninghamiana trees. There were no significant macroscopic or histological findings in the two fetuses analyzed. Abortifacient labdane acids were detected in the needles of H. macrocarpa (1.68%, D.W.) and C. arizonica (0.36%, D.W.) but none were found in C. cunninghamiana.