Livestock producers in Queensland, NSW and South Australia are being warned to be alert to the potential emergence of pimelea as research continues into solutions to treat livestock poisoning from the potentially fatal plants.
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The pimelea group of plants are poisonous to grazing animals across much of the three states, causing what’s widely known as St George disease. Symptoms include chronic diarrhoea, loss of condition, characteristic fluid swelling under the jaw and/or down the neck and brisket, and prominent pulsing jugular vein in the neck.
The problem was highlighted in 2015 and again in 2017 when numerous cattle deaths and production losses occurred in Queensland herds.
Work is ongoing on two linked projects researching pimelea poisoning, funded by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and co-ordinated by Associate Professor Mary Fletcher of The University of Queensland’s (UQ) Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI).
MLA project manager – research and development grassfed beef, Dr Nigel Tomkins, said the first project “Pimelea poisoning – finding potential solutions for managing cattle poisoning” involved producers, AgForce and MLA Donor Company (MDC).
READ MORE: No hope against a killer plant
Dr Tomkins said the second project “Improving beef production through management of plant toxins”, is aimed at producing a potential preventative probiotic for cattle.
“The expected outcomes may result in the development of an inoculum and/or absorbent to protect cattle from poisoning and adoption of these tools into management systems.”
Currently, there is no effective vaccine or antidote for pimelea poisoning. Management strategies to reduce contact between toxic plants and susceptible stock are the only options.
Livestock poisoning is primarily associated with native rice-flower (Pimelea simplex), flaxweed (Pimelea trichostachya), and lakebed pimelea (Pimelea elongata).
READ MORE: Pimelea plant research to stop cattle death
For further information, visit: futurebeef.com.au/pimelea-poisoning and www.mla.com.au/research-and-development/animal-health-welfare-and-biosecurity/poisonings/toxic-plants