On-Farm Livestock Poisoning How to Protect Your Livestock and Scotland’S Food Chain

On-Farm Livestock Poisoning How to Protect your Livestock and Scotland’s Food Chain

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Lead Poisoning Lead The Problem Poisoning Poisoning • Lead is a highly toxic metal causing nervous Copper disease, blindness, infertility and death

• Lead poisoning mainly affects cattle & sheep Poisoning Poisoning • Young cattle are most at risk due to their curious nature Livestock

• Incidents peak in Spring when animals are put to pasture

• Over half of reported on-farm incidents are due to lead poisoning

• Contaminated meat, offal and milk beyond legal limits are unsafe and illegal to sell

• Since 2016 over 500 animals in Scotland were restricted from the food chain. Of these, 45 animals died as a direct result

Signs of lead poisoning:

Acute: Chronic/later symptoms: • Sudden death • Anaemia • Blindness • Lameness • Muscle tremors • Foetal deformities and twitches • Infertility • Abnormal behaviour such as bellowing or teeth grinding • Seizures • Salivation • Constipation or diarrhoea

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• Animal deaths, carcass • Lead batteries disposal and veterinary fees • Electric fencing batteries • Slower or stunted animal growth • Burnt-out cars

• Increased birth defects • Bonﬁ re ash lead and infertility • Lead ﬂ ashing

• Loss of market value and • Flaking lead paint decreased production • Lead shot • Minimum 16 week withdrawal period causes delays in • Lead paint tins sending animals to market and • Lead piping additional costs for blood tests • Lead in soil

• Old lead mine workings

Generally, natural lead levels in soil are low in Scotland and lead poisoning from grazing is unlikely, however in some areas e.g. near old mine workings, levels may be higher.

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Lead Poisoning Lead The Solution Poisoning Poisoning Avoiding Lead Contamination on your Farm Copper As a primary producer, you can play a crucial role in protecting the human food chain: Poisoning Poisoning • Identify & remove source of lead and prevent access by livestock Livestock

• Keep animals away from:

• Bonﬁ re ash • Piping • Flashing

• Watch out for ﬂ y-tipping

• Old paint can contain lead - check and remove and/or prevent access by livestock

• Don’t graze pasture too short, especially in areas with naturally high soil lead content

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Copper Poisoning Lead The Problem Poisoning Poisoning • Copper is an essential element but long-term exposure Copper at high levels can be harmful and cause chronic toxicity

• Copper mainly affects sheep as copper is stored in the liver and then released suddenly so symptoms tend Poisoning Poisoning to appear quickly and most animals die as a result. Livestock Growing lambs are more susceptible than adults

• Contaminated meat and offal, particularly the liver, may be unﬁ t to sell

• People consuming high levels of copper may suffer from nausea, vomiting and/or abdominal pain and long term exposure can affect liver function

• Since 2016 over 480 animals in Scotland were restricted from the food chain and of these 23 animals died as a direct result

Signs of copper poisoning:

Acute: Chronic/later symptoms: • Sudden death • Shallow and rapid breathing which can • Discoloured urine develop into anaemia • Abdominal pain

• Jaundice

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• Animal disease, jaundice, Most copper poisoning liver disease and veterinary incidents result from fees accumulation, this can be due to prolonged exposure to • Loss of market value and copper enriched concentrates decreased production or supplements.

• Minimum 2 week withdrawal Other potential sources include: period causes delays in sending animals to market • Pig and poultry manure – and additional costs for applied to pasture, silage or blood tests root crops

• Distillery by-product feeds – e.g. distiller’s dark grains produced from copper stills

• Palm oil or molassed sugar beet pulp feeds

• Copper sulphate foot baths

• Fungicide-treated timber

• Copper piping

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Copper Poisoning Lead The Solution Poisoning Poisoning Avoiding Copper Poisoning on your Farm Copper As a primary producer, you can play a crucial role in protecting the human food chain: Poisoning Poisoning • Identify & remove sources of copper and prevent access Livestock by livestock

• Check feed stock and supplements for copper content

• Don’t supplement copper unless a deﬁ ciency has been proven

• Care should be taken when feeding concentrates/supplements for a prolonged period of time

• Ensure animals can’t access sources of copper such as cattle supplements & copper-based fungicides

• Ensure manure application follows good agricultural practice

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January 2017 Food Standards Scotland received a report concerning a group of 120 ewes that had gained access to cattle minerals and also to land that had recently been spread with distillery efﬂ uent. Four of the animals died and the post mortem examination concluded these animals died of copper toxicity. Distillery efﬂ uent can be high in copper and cattle minerals contain levels of copper which are too high for sheep. The sheep were removed from the source and a two week movement/selling restriction applied.

March 2018 During silage making in the summer of 2017, a vehicle battery had unknowingly been incorporated into a bale which was fed to the cattle the following February. Four cows died suddenly after showing symptoms of lead poisoning and a further four animals began to show clinical signs. Fragments of the old battery were identiﬁ ed in an empty ring feeder where a silage bale was fed. Cattle were removed from the source, a 16 week restriction was applied to the group of 20 animals affected and additional blood sampling was undertaken to conﬁ rm blood levels of lead were satisfactory.

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Livestock Poisoning Lead What to Do Poisoning Poisoning If you Suspect Poisoning Copper Poisoning Poisoning Livestock

Identify and remove contamination source

Remove livestock from the source and prevent access

Seek veterinary advice

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Tests for heavy metals such as lead and copper in livestock, produce or soil are inexpensive and simple to arrange.

For more information, contact your veterinary surgeon who can arrange testing by SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) Vet Services. SRUC Vet Services receive funding from the Scottish Government.

Further information on the codes of recommendations for the welfare of livestock can be found at:

https://bit.ly/2Agl3Yg

For more information and food safety advice contact Food Standards Scotland:

Tel: 01224 285100 E-mail: [email protected]

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