Green tansy mustard
General poisoning notes:
Green tansy mustard (Descurainia pinnata) is a native herb found in fields and rangelands across central and western Canada. Poisoning has occurred in cases where animals have fed almost exclusively on the plants over long periods. Cattle, goats, and horses have been poisoned (Kingsbury 1964, Staley 1976).
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Descurainia pinnata (Walt.) Britt.
Vernacular name(s): green tansy mustard
Scientific family name: Cruciferae
Vernacular family name: mustard
Descurainia pinnata (Walt.) Britt.
Geographic Information
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec,, Saskatchewan
Toxic parts:
Leaves, seeds.
Toxic plant chemicals:
unknown chemical
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:
Blindness, death, weight loss.
Notes on poisoning:
Symptoms in cattle start with partial or complete blindness, followed by an inability to use the tongue or throat, leading to an inability to eat. Death occurs if treatment is not applied to recover the ability to eat and see. Treatment has included administering 9-14 L of water twice daily to improve digestion. More recent treatment involves intravenous injections of ethanol diluted in Ringers solution (Staley 1976).
