Poisonous Plants Of Pennsylvania Penn State Veterinary Science Extension Many plants are poten tially poisonous to livestock. The conditions for causing plant poisoning are, in most cases, more important than the plants themselves. Factors Contributing To Plant Poisoning A. Undernourishment, Starvation This is the most common reason why animals eat poisonous plants. Penn sylvania woods and natural meadows contain many spe cies of plants which are capa ble of killing animals. These woods and meadows are not good sources of forage for See One Of These Badger Dealers Annville BHM Farm Equipment 717-867-2211 Carlisle CFS 717-243-4419 Chambersburg CFS 717-264-3533 livestock. In early spring, late fall or during dry seasons when forage is scarce, ani mals may eat plants they would not eat under normal circumstances. This reason is one of many good reasons why domestic animals should never be turned into wood lands for “pasture.” B. Accidental Poisoning Some very poisonous plants may be accidentally eaten as animals graze. Water Hem lock is one of these. In early spring, animals hungry for green grass seek young grass growing along water courses where Water Hemlock lives. The Water Hemlock plants at Lancaster Show-Ease Stall Co 717-299-2536 Oley Pikeville Equipment 610-987-6277 this season are a small whorl of leaves growing on a heavy carrot-like root. One crown of such a root bitten off by an animal and eaten, as the animal eats grass, will kill a large horse or cow. Similarly, the two-leaf stage of the common Cocklebur is ex tremely poisonous when acci dentally eaten by hogs foraging in old cornfields. Corn cockle, formerly a very common weed in wheat and barley fields has poisonous seeds which can produce symptoms of poisoning when enough of the seed contami nates grain fed to poultry. C. Browsing Tendency of Troy Fallbrook Fabrication 570-297-3802 Watsontown Rovendale Ag & Barn Equip 570-538-9564 Project Grass Announces Field Day NEEDMORE (Fulton Co.) Western Project Grass and Southcentral Project Grass, consisting of 29 Pennsylvania counties, will conduct a graz ing field day May 8 at the farm of Ed and Sandy Swope, Needmore. The Swope farm is a grass based, seasonal dairy opera tion, featuring 80 Holsteins that are pastured and milked from March through Novem ber. NAVIGATOR M Series Trailer Sprayer <HARDj> LLA NE] ABC GROFF, INC. 110 S. Railroad Ave, 717-354-4191 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 20,2002, Foraging Around- Animals Well-fed animals in dry lots or the best of pas tures may become bored with the same constant diet. Out of sheer boredom or a craving for variation in diet they may browse weeds or shrubs avail able along fence rows. All grazing animals like to vary their diet with a little browse and many ornamental and wild plants may be consumed not because they are palat able, but simply because the animal craves variation in its diet. D. The Amount of the Plant Eaten The amount of the poisonous plant con sumed may be the most im portant factor in determining why animals are poisoned. This is particularly true of cyanogenetic plants, nitrate- Speakers and topics sched uled for the field day include Darrell Emmick, Cortland, N.Y., dry matter intake, and Glenn Moyer, Mercersburg, Cove Mt. economics. Participants will tour the Swope’s pastures, water sys tems, and pasture layouts. Cost for lunch is $5. For reservations, call Karen Kelly at (717) 485- 3547, ext. 116. CARLISLE. PA CARLISLE FARM SERVICE 260 York Road 717-243-4419 RINGGOLI PA ECKROTH BROS. FARM EQUIPMENT Rt. 443 & 895 570-943-2131 accumulating plants and those causing photosensitiv ity. This will be explained in the section where those plants are discussed. Some plants capable of severe poi soning can be very well uti lized if they complement a good diet. This is particularly true of nitrate-accumulated or cyanogenetic plants. E. Conditions Under Which Plants Grow Cold, dark weather greatly in creases the nonprotein nitro gen content of many warm season plants. Sorghum sudan hybrids, many grasses, alfalfa and corn may have dangerously high levels of non-protein nitrogen under such conditions. Excessive application of N fertilizers (Turn to Page 18) ghambersburg. p_a CHAMBERSBURG FARM SERVICE 975 S. Main St. 717-264-3533 PA EFIELI ECKROTH EQUIPMENT 4910 Kernsville Road 610-366-2095 215 KLINGERSTOWN. PA STANLEY’S FARM SERVICE RD #1 Box 46, Off Rt. 125 570-648-2088 RICHLAND. PA LEBANON VALLEY IMPLEMENT 700 East Linden St. 717-866-7518
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