Urea poisoning on farm
We tend to see urea as a common farm product, but often forget the downsides to this helpful little additive. One of the big negatives is that it can kill our cows quickly if we happen to get it wrong or for some reason get distracted when applying it.
Recently one of our large animal vets was called to see some cows that had eaten urea; by the time he arrived, two cows were dead and a third needed to be euthanased. While investigating how this had occurred, he discovered a large rut in the paddock which the cows had been grazing and where the urea was still visible on the ground; spreading had been done over 48 hours prior with a rainfall greater than 15mm since spreading. It was likely that the spreader had been slightly overfull and the rut had caused a jolt, resulting in a urea spill. There was also a small amount of urea in the bucket of the tractor with some palm kernel which the cows had passed on the way to the shed. This was possibly the urea source for the cows that died in the yards.
Signs of toxicity can commence from as little as ten minutes after urea is eaten and include abdominal pain, frothing at the mouth and nose, bloat, muscle tremors, incoordination, weakness, bellowing, lying down and struggling. Fatality rates in cases of urea toxicity are high. Treatment is often unsuccessful but a weak acid such as vinegar (4L) needs to be given as soon as signs are noticed to have any effect.
Simple rules can be followed to ensure this doesn't happen:
- Make sure any equipment used to spread urea is cleaned after use
- Ensure spreading on paddocks is even - don't rush
If you have any questions about urea poisoning, please don't hesitate to discuss these with your farm vet.
