Canadian milk-vetch
General poisoning notes:
Cattle have been fatally poisoned when fed on rangeland containing Canadian milk-vetch (Astragalus canadensis). Experiments with sheep indicated that plant material must contain NO2 at 250 mg/kg of body weight to produce toxic responses and 275 mg/kg body weight for a lethal dose. In week-old chicks, the LD50= 2 g of plant ingested (Williams and James 1975).
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Astragalus canadensis L.
Vernacular name(s): Canadian milk-vetch
Scientific family name: Leguminosae
Vernacular family name: pea
Astragalus canadensis L.
Geographic Information
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan
Toxic parts:
Flowers, leaves
Toxic plant chemicals:
3-nitropropionic acid
3-nitropropionic acid
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Cattle
General symptoms of poisoning:
Death.
