Oats-Avena sativa L.-Poisonous plant

Oats

General poisoning notes:

Oats (Avena sativa) can cause nitrate toxicity in livestock. Cattle are more prone to toxicity, but swine and turkeys have been poisoned on oat stubble. Grass tetany also occurs during periods of lush growth when ruminants suffer from a mineral imbalance.

Nomenclature:

Scientific Name: Avena sativa L.

Vernacular name(s): oats

Scientific family name: Poaceae

Vernacular family name: grass

Avena sativa L.

Geographic Information

Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory.

Toxic parts:

Leaves, stems.

Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:

Oat hay is a common source of plant poisoning by nitrates. Evidence suggests that moisture on outdoor hay may promote bacterial reduction of nitrate to the more toxic nitrite (Kingsbury 1964).

Toxic plant chemicals:

nitrate

Animals/Human Poisoning:

Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.

Cattle

General symptoms of poisoning:

Cyanosis, death, gait, staggering, trembling, weakness.

Swine

Turkeys