Botulism Causes Dairy Cow Deaths

 

Nutrition Update
Volume 9 No.2, August 1998

Botulism poisoning was responsible for the deaths of 435 dairy cows at a California dairy in April. The remains of a cat found in the feed contained Clostridium botulinum, the mold that produces the botulin toxin. The cat apparently found its way into a hay stall on the farm, died and then began to decompose. The hay with the cat remains was then included in a total mixed ration and fed to the dairy cattle. The first cow was found dead April 10 and by April 15, more than 400 were dead. Botulin causes paralysis of various body organs soon after ingestion. In this case, paralysis occurred in the diaphragm of the cows and the cows suffocated.

The feed was fed to a group of 450 cows on the 1,000 cow dairy.

Sources:
Feedstuffs, April 20, 1998.
Feedstuffs, April 27, 1998.

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