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Macrocarpa and abortion in cows

23 November 2007

I just read your article on macrocarpa poisoning/abortion.

I have been on a dairy farm for last 4 years where the cows are wintered away on a runoff containing a large amount of macrocarpa treelines.

We had serious problems 1st year approx 25 cows aborted out of 600 cows, we reacted quickly minimising problem and learn't quickly.

Again last year we break fenced all tree lines again, but not well enough having had 4 abort, but the amount eaten was no more than 50grms per animal and only once per animal (basically the odd tip of branch - even watched one cow stretch and pick at a tip(addictive??)).

This has been enough to cause a problem, and reaction times are upto about 10 days. It has not been ruled out that it could also be toxicity in the soil (soil-borne bacteria) which is naturally occuring. One of the cows which aborted had no access to macrocarpa at any time.

I do know of other farmers where cows have access all year to macrocarpa and do not have a problem, could they build up a resistance to the toxin??

Wintered the cows on the same run off this year, getting pretty sure now most of abortions are due to a soil-borne bacteria, organism and level of problem can be put down to grazing residual and how hard you want to push your stock.

Most of the areas all used to be grazed by sheep some years ago! Learning all the time!

- Dave Herdson

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