Would you help my son answer a question

[Equuisize]

My son is the Director of Restoration Programs at the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy.

http://www.pvplc.org/

They have a successful program of saving the endangered Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly.

There is a large equestrian community, on the peninsula, that has use of the trails in the

Preserve. The Conservancy tries very hard to listen to the concerns of community.

His question is below.

Would you share any experiences you have had or incidences you may have heard of?

Hey Mom,

Do you know of, or could you ask people on your listserve, if horses are being

poisoned by a plant, called Astragalus – or Vetch.

The butterfly relies on it for certain parts of its lifecycle, and we are planting it in good quantities.

People are concerned about it, although they do not seem to mind the other dozen poisonous

plants that are on the Preserves.

We are planting in steeper areas and doing some fencing, but on the freak occasion livestock

get out they could wander in there.

I feel like they would have plenty to eat other than the bitter plants.

I think it is a low probability that it would happen.

Would you ask for me?

Love, Michael T

 

[angel_cowgirl]

I don't know anything about plants but thats a gorgeous butterfly and beautiful picture!

Sorry, I know this isn't the kind of post you wanted.

 

[Equuisize]

That's OK. IT IS a beautiful butterfly.

The Conservancy has brought it back from near extinction,

which makes it even more special.

 

[Sterling]

Nancy, we have some wild flowers growing all in thru the Wharton State Forest that looks similar to that...I know...not at all the same thing as we're on two opposite coasts. Our's are all white with hints of a mustardy yellow color dotting the inside.

................And you know my feelings about that butterfly!!

 

[Miniv]

If you google "Vetch" it will tell you that Crown Vetch and Purple Vetch are poisonous to horses. Fuzzy Vetch is poisonous to both horses and cattle.

(Beautiful photo, BTW.)

MA

 

[Equuisize]

I 'think' what Michael T is asking is:

If anyone has had experience with horses eating this

when given a choice of other grazing.

This is can also be called 'locoweed' and our local vet sent me this info

which I've forwarded to MT....

I've attached it below for your information.

Thanks!

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

The answer to the question is, it depends. There are

many species of Astragalus, otherwise known as

locoweed, or milk vetch--vetch is an actual forage

that can be consumed, milk vetch has toxic principles

in it. Astragalas and Oxytropis, a similar genus, can

have several different compounds that cause neurologic

trouble in livestock, and horses can be affected. In

locoweed poisoning the animal has to eat lots of the

plant over many weeks in order to reach the toxic

level. It causes incoordination, excitement,

overstimulation and unpredictable behavior. If

immediately removed from it the animal may show

improvement, but chronically infected animals may only

recover partially and can be a major hazard for humans

working with them. Animals can retain an addiction

for the plants, and have to be separated from it, and

will eat it even if other better forage is available.

Wooly loco (A. mollismus) in early gestation will

produce limb deformities in the unborn fetus.

Milkvetch poisoning is caused by a different toxin,

which acts mostly on the respiratory apparatus, and

central nervous system, causing depression,

incoordination, weakness, and difficulty breathing and

paralysis. Milkvetch poisoning accounts for severe

livestock losses in western United States, Canada, and

Mexico. Horses are not frequently affected, but they

can be poisoned by the plants. These plants also are

known as selenium indicator plants, as they typically

grow in high selenium soils and concentrate selenium.

Ingestion can cause acute or chronic selenium

toxicity. Two-grooved milkvetch (Astragalus

bisulcatus) will cause both locoism and selenium

toxicity.

This information was from Feeding and Care of the

Horse, second edition, by Lon D. Lewis. It was

written for the lay person, and has an excellent

chapter on poisonous plants, with color pictures.

Highly recommend it.

Diane Pinkers, DVM

Raymond WA

 

[woodnldy]

We have the common Vetch in our area and I have never heard anything about it being poisonous. This article tells some about it. Guess it would depend on which one the plant. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/html/em/em8695/ Its pretty but can be pesky in flower beds. I have seen it planted for hay for cows too. Didn't know some kind were poison. Learned something new here .

 

[JO~*]

Where I grew up we had some kind of Vetch growing out in the pastures but it never bothered the horses, maybe its cause the horses never bothered it, I really don't remember. It was a smallish plant with a pretty pink flower if memory serves me right. I can remember my x father in law (before he was my father in law) saying ...now don't let the horses eat the vetch.

By the way we have some kind of small blue butterfly here that rare to.