Beef cattle losses after grazing Lupinus argenteus (silvery lupine).
Ten yearling steers weighing 270-360 kg died acutely after eating early seed pod stage Lupinus argenteus (silvery lupine) containing high levels of piperidine alkaloids, including ammodendrine and N-methylammodendrine. Reduced availability of Quality feed from range moderately depleted of Quality grasses appeared a major factor in causing the cattle to graze lupine. Proximate analysis of whole plant, seed pods and seed showed high levels of crude protein ranging from 16.4 to 48% for whole plant and seed. Alkaloid analysis of the whole plant and individual plant parts such as seed and seed pods (30-40% seed shatter) showed total alkaloid levels ranging from 0.70 to 2.5% (0.70-2.5 mg/100 mg plant) dry weight. Ammodendrine levels ranged from 0.24% in seed pods with >70% seed loss to 1.35% in early growth plant with no seed. N-methylammodendrine levels ranged from 0.38% in seed pods with >70 % seed shatter to 1.04 % in pure seed. Other minor alkaloids totaled 0.08% in seed pods with >70% seed shatter to 0.60% in early growth plant before seed pod formation. These cattle ate an estimated 1.8 g/kg dry weight (486 g to 648 g) of lupine in 24 h. This appears the first report of acute death in cattle associated with piperidine alkaloid-containing Lupinus argenteus.
Panter
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USDA-ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory,  Logan, UT 84341, USA.
Mayland
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HF
Gardner
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Shewmaker
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D000470:Alkaloids / Q000506:poisoning; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000506:poisoning*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D008297:Male; D010880:Piperidines / Q000506:poisoning; D010945:Plants, Edible; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry
D000470:Alkaloids; D010880:Piperidines