Nitrate intoxication due to ingestion of pigweed red-root (Amaranthus retroflexus) in cattle

Abstract

Nitrate toxicosis associated with consumption of pigweed red-root (Amaranthus retroflexus) wasdiagnosed in a small herd of cattle in the suburb of Mashhad, northeastern Iran. The clinical signs wereruminal tympany, incoordination, tachycardia, dyspnea, head pressing, aggressive movements and jugulardistension. Seven animals including 3 young calves and 4 cows died of intoxication; other affected cattlewere treated by intravenous administration of epinephrine and ascorbic acid. No further mortality wasobserved after the treatment. One of the treated cows aborted a 6-month-old fetus more than three days afterintoxication. Two samples of suspected plants were analysed for nitrate. The nitrate content of those plantswas 6.6% and 10.4% in dry matter