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Toxicity of Some Arsenicals Fed to Growing-Fattening Lambs^{1, 2, 3, 4}

University of Illinois^,7

Abstract

Individual self-feeding was used to determine toxic levels and symptoms of toxicity of three different arsenicals in sheep. Practical Corn Belt growing-fattening rations made up of 50 percent alfalfa hay, 45 percent corn, and 5 percent soybean meal were used.

Potassium arsenite, arsanilic acid and 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid were used to supply equal amounts of arsenic at levels of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 percent of the total ration based on the 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid. 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid rations seemed the most palatable, especially at the higher levels, and the potassium arsenite rations were consumed in the least amounts.

Lambs on the 0.2 and 0.4 percent arsanilic acid rations became convulsive in Experiment 1 and the ewe on the 0.4 percent ration in Experiment 2 died before the test ended.

The levels of arsenicals fed in these experiments did not affect the prothrombin time. However, pathological changes in the livers and kidneys decreased red blood cell count and decreased hemoglobin levels, high levels of serum and urinary bile pigments, and the presence of hemosiderins in the Kupffer cells, the renal tubule cells, and in the urine, indicate a severe hemolytic condition.

The arsenic content of the liver, kidney, and muscle was significantly increased by feeding arsenicals.

It appears that 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid was not as toxic to sheep as arsanilic acid or potassium arsenite. Potassium arsenite seemed very unpalatable, and when it was fed at the 0.2 percent level these sheep went off feed. These arsenicals may cause severe pathological damage without outward toxicity symptoms.

¹ This paper is part of a thesis submitted by the senior author to the Graduate College, University of Illinois, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science.

² Published with the approval of the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station.

³ These studies were financed in part through grants-in-aid from the Salsbury Laboratories, Charles City, Iowa.

⁴ We wish to acknowledge with thanks technical assistance from E. E. Hatfield, Department of Animal Science, and Dr. C. C. Morrill, College of Veterinary Medicine. Arsanilic and 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid were generously supplied by Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Illinois, through the courtesy of Dr. Douglas V. Frost.

⁵ Present address, Animal Husbandry Department, California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo, California.

⁶ Present address, Oklahoma A. and M. College, Stillwater, Oklahoma.

⁷ Department of Animal Science, Urbana, Illinois.