Authorities investigating the deaths of 200 cows in Wisconsin have come up with an unlikely culprit: the sweet potato. The cows were found dead in a Stockton pasture two weeks ago. Locals were left scratching their heads about what caused the mass die-off.
Investigators from the University of Wisconsin have determined that the animals were killed by a poison found in spoiled sweet potatoes that were part of the cattle's feed. "It is likely that a mycotoxin from moldy sweet potato was a major factor in the disease and deaths of these steers," said Peter Vanderloo, associate director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
There's been a spate of mass animal deaths in recent weeks, from fish in Maryland and Arkansas to birds in Louisiana and South Dakota. The farmer who owned the cows had thought they might have fallen victim to disease such as infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, according to The Wisconsin Rapids Tribune. Vanderloo and his team ruled that out.
"None of the major respiratory pathogens of cattle were identified in the samples provided to the lab," said Vanderloo. He also explained that the toxic sweet potatoes were not in the human food supply chain, so there was no threat to people. Read more...
This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.
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