HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Olsen, J. D. Articles by Lane, M. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Olsen, J. D. Articles by Lane, M. A.

Aversion to Eating Poisonous Larkspur Plants Induced in Cattle by Intraruminal Infusion with Lithium Chloride¹

U.S. Department of Agriculture and Utah State University, Logan 84321

Abstract

Our objective was to determine whether cattle can be trained to avoid eating tall larkspur (Delphinium barbeyi), a particularly troublesome poisonous plant. Hereford-cross heifers eating fresh larkspur (Group 1, n = 5, nonaversively conditioned controls) were compared with heifers aversively conditioned to avoid eating fresh larkspur (Group 2, n = 5) or to avoid eating dry, ground larkspur (Group 3, n = 4). All heifers ate fresh larkspur before aversive conditioning began. Groups 2 and 3 were aversively conditioned at 2- or 3- d intervals for six offerings of larkspur by intraruminal infusion of lithium chloride (LiCl) immediately after any larkspur was eaten. Group 1 ate 100% of larkspur while being infused with distilled water. Group 2 ate 2% or less of larkspur after two offerings and refused to eat any larkspur after the sixth offering and again after 43 d, 13 of which were spent grazing on larkspur-infested rangeland. Three of four heifers in Group 3 refused to eat dried larkspur after two offerings and all four refused it during the fourth to sixth offering. Heifers in Group 3 again were offered fresh larkspur after successful aversion to the dried plant to determine whether these cattle would generalize their aversion from one form of the plant to another. Only one of four heifers in Group 3 consistently refused to eat fresh larkspur after being conditioned to avoid the dried plant. We conclude that cattle can be taught to avoid eating larkspur and that the aversion persists beyond short-term grazing of larkspur-infested rangeland. However, cattle's aversion to eating dried, ground larkspur was not generalized to avoidance of eating fresh larkspur.

¹ The authors acknowledge the technical assistance of Terrie Wierenga and Larry V. Mickelsen and the statistical consultation of Donald V. Sisson.

² USDA-ARS, Poisonous Plant Res. Lab.

³ Dept. of Range Sci.

⁴ Current address: Soil Conservation Service, Ballinger, TX 76821.