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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #413820
Research Project: Developing Mitigation Strategies for Poisonous Plants in Livestock Production Systems

Location: Poisonous Plant Research

Title: Toxicosis from range lupine ingestion in a research herd of Rafter 7 Merino sheep

Author
item WEIGLER, BENJAMIN - University Of Nevada
item MANDEVILLE, WALTER - University Of Nevada
item HUBER, SCOTT - University Of Nevada
item MCCUIN, GARY - University Of Nevada
item CARTAGENA, FABRIZIO - University Of Nevada
item Cook, Daniel
item Lee, Stephen
item PRITSOS, CHRIS - University Of Nevada

Submitted to: Poisonous Plant Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/17/2024
Publication Date: 6/21/2024
Citation: Weigler, B.J., Mandeville, W.F., Huber, S., Mccuin, G., Cartagena, F., Cook, D., Lee, S.T., Pritsos, C.A. 2024. Toxicosis from range lupine ingestion in a research herd of Rafter 7 Merino sheep. Poisonous Plant Research. 7:10-14. https://doi.org/10.26077/1a49-f0ef.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26077/1a49-f0ef

Interpretive Summary: An outbreak of lupine alkaloid neurotoxicosis occurred in sheep grazed on rangeland areas of the Nevada Great Basin during the summer of 2023. Overall, 97sheep died despite veterinary supportive care. Lupinus argenteus var. utahensis was implicated as the causative plant with high levels of lupanine (11.5 'g/mg) and spartiene (13.7 'g/mg) in collected and archived samples. Previous reports of sheep deaths due to lupine ingestion have not been recorded in this region and increased abundance of the number plants producing seed pods having a high alkaloid content may have been associated with abnormally high levels of precipitation in the months prior to this event.

Technical Abstract: An outbreak of lupine alkaloid neurotoxicosis occurred in sheep grazed on rangeland areas of the Nevada Great Basin during the summer of 2023. Overall, 97sheep died despite veterinary supportive care. Lupinus argenteus var. utahensis was implicated as the causative plant with high levels of lupanine (11.5 'g/mg) and spartiene (13.7 'g/mg) in collected and archived samples. Previous reports of sheep deaths due to lupine ingestion have not been recorded in this region and increased abundance of the number plants producing seed pods having a high alkaloid content may have been associated with abnormally high levels of precipitation in the months prior to this event.