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  • Title: Nitrate-nitrite toxicity in cattle and sheep grazing Dactyloctenium radulans (button grass) in stockyards.
    Author: McKenzie RA, Rayner AC, Thompson GK, Pidgeon GF, Burren BR.
    Journal: Aust Vet J; 2004 Oct; 82(10):630-4. PubMed ID: 15887389.
    Abstract:
    Hungry cattle and sheep introduced to stockyards containing a dominant or pure growth of Dactyloctenium radulans (button grass) suffered acute nitrate-nitrite toxicity in four incidents in inland Queensland between 1993 and 2001. Deaths ranged from 16 to 44%. Methaemoglobinaemia was noted at necropsies in all incidents. An aqueous humour sample from one dead steer contained 75 mg nitrate/L and from one dead sheep contained 100 mg nitrate and 50 mg nitrite/L (normal = ca 5 mg nitrate/L). Both lush and dry button grass were toxic. The nitrate content of button grass from within the stockyards ranged from 4.0 to 12.9% as potassium nitrate equivalent in dry matter and from outside the stockyards ranged from <0.2 to 0.4%. These data suggest that urine and faeces in stockyard soil may boost the nitrate content of button grass to a concentration hazardous to hungry ruminants.
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