Lupine Toxicity

Lupins are also called blue bonnets.

Lupin, also known as Lupinus, grows throughout the United States, Mediterranean and North Africa. Over 200 species of lupin exist around the world. The flowers normally bloom in blue. However, yellow, red or white flower colors appear on certain plants. Lupin started spreading out from confined areas, later appearing in open fields. Scientists have since discovered that some lupin plants contain toxic alkaloids.

Identification

Lupins are categorized as a member of the bean family. The plant is listed as both a perennial and annual. Flower petals bloom upright. They sport two side (wing) petals and two bottom petals, which connect toward the base of the stem to create the appearance of a cover around it. Large amounts of toxin form in the seed pods, depending the time of year. The pods reach an inch in height and have a milky, creamy hue.

Toxic Characteristics

Lupin grows wild throughout the western United States, where plenty of livestock graze on range land. Lupinine stands for quinolizidine alkaloid, the toxin that poisons animals by dispersing nicotine throughout their system. The toxin forms on all parts of certain lupin plants, but the greatest concentration resides inside the seed pod. The seed pods carry the most danger during the winter when animals graze in pastures containing the toxin. Sometimes, hay gets containment with lupinine, which, in turn, can make animals sick.

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Considerations

Some lupin plant do not have the toxic chemical in them. If a rancher cultivates a lupin specie that contains a low amount of alkaloids, they will wind up feeding their animals with a good source of protein because the plant is part of the bean family. Certain species will affect the livestock differently. Pregnant cows may not suffer from eating a plant with a high level of alkaloids, but when they give birth, the rancher could find that the calf has birth defects as a result of the nicotine found in the ingested plant. Younger livestock have a greater risk of developing problems related to the toxin. Sheep have a higher likelihood of getting contaminated from lupinine poisoning than cows.

Symptoms

Ranchers should look for symptoms from alkaloid poisoning in their livestock by watching for signs such as salivating at the mouth, sudden seizures, ataxia or dyspena. Sheep with these problems may suffer from acute injection levels from the poisoning. Higher levels of excitement than the animal usually shows can mean that the livestock is displaying behavior associated with alkaloid contamination.

Prevention/Solution

Rotating your cattle every 40 to 70 days during their gestation stage can greatly reduce an animal's risk of exposure. Alternating where your sheep or cattle grazes saves you a higher amount of money than if you purchase chemicals to control lupin plants. Ranchers should note that the plant puts out more toxin when young, before it reaches maturity. Taking measures to prevent livestock from entering fields where new plant growth occurs helps reduce the chances that your livestock will get contaminated.

References

• University of Pennsylvania: Poisonous Plants
• Journal of Range Management: