Agriculture
 |
Agricultural
Agent, Tom Donovan is the Agricultural Board Chairperson for SJCHC.
He was raised on a cattle ranch in central Florida and is knowledgable
in
quality
forage production and pasture management. |
ALFALFA HAY WARNING Release
Date: 7/7/2007
Georgia
Agriculture Commissioner Alerts Horse Owners to Possible Toxicity with
some Alfalfa Hay. Photograph
of stems of hoary alyssum taken from bales of alfalfa hay. Georgia Agriculture
Commissioner Tommy Irvin is alerting horse owners to a problem that has
occurred with some alfalfa hay from Michigan and the upper Midwest. The
hay may contain hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana), a weed that is toxic
to horses. "We have a report of 25 horses sickened from eating alfalfa
hay from Michigan that contained this plant. The horses had swollen legs,
fever and some were showing signs of foundering," said Commissioner Irvin.
"What is especially troubling is that the weed was practically invisible
in the hay. It was only after close investigation after the horses got
sick that the presence of this plant was found," said Irvin. Hoary alyssum
has round stems and an alternate leaf pattern. (The leaves are not directly
opposite each other but appear alternately up the stem.) Because the dried
leaves are fragile, most of them will have fractured and become part of
the alfalfa "dust" in the bale. The older stems may have a purple blush.
Stems may have a slight fuzz or "hoary" appearance. "I urge all horse
owners in Georgia to check their alfalfa hay and to contact their veterinarian
if they see any problems with their horses," said Irvin. Hoary alyssum
is native to Europe and naturalized throughout much of the northern U.S.
For more information, horse owners can refer to "Hoary Alyssum: Toxicity
to Horses, Forage Quality and Control" from the University of Minnesota
at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI5567.html
Poisonous Plants of the Southern United States
.