The sun was setting when Jerry Abel's cattle began to bellow on his Central Texas ranch. They were convulsing by the time he rushed to the pasture. Within hours, Abel had lost almost all his herd.
The culprit: toxic grass.
Abel's 15 dead cattle represent the first documented case of cyanide deaths being linked to a common Bermuda grass hybrid found in grazing lands across the Southeast. Although the incident in late May initially sparked concern from other ranchers who use the same grass, state agriculture experts say they believe the problem is isolated and there's no cause for alarm.
"If cattle are already on pasture, don't worry about it," said Larry Redmon, a specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, which worked with state and federal agencies to investigate the deaths. "Chances are it's not going to be an issue." But, he said, "I would never say never."
Preliminary results from the investigation show Abel's Tifton 85 grass contained cyanide, or prussic acid, though Redmond said what caused the poison to build up remains unclear and under investigation.
The grass, a warm-weather perennial grown south of the Red River, was released to ranchers in 1992 for its drought resistance and nutritive value and is perhaps the most commonly used Bermuda grass variety in Texas, the nation's leading cattle state.
Since other grasses such as sorghums or Sudan can pose cyanide danger, most ranchers know to wait seven to 10 days after new growth before sending cattle to graze, Redmon said. That allows the grass time to release the cyanide into the atmosphere.
But because this is the first reported case of deadly levels of prussic acid in Bermuda grass, the 69-year-old Abel had no idea his cattle were in danger. He's been a rancher since 1977 and growing Tifton 85 on his pasture northeast of Austin for 15 years.
"I was totally, completely surprised," he said from his Elgin ranch, which contains about 30 acres of Tifton 85. "I never expected anything like this."
At about 8 or 9 in the evening on May 24, Abel let his 18 head of Corriente cattle into the pasture. His trainer heard the first bellows, and when they returned to the pasture, they saw many of the cattle convulsing, some already dead. Just three cattle survived.
Abel called his veterinarian, who came to the ranch the next morning to begin autopsies on the animals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Texas Department of Agriculture are working closely with the extension office on the investigation.
The extension service will attempt to recreate in a greenhouse all the factors that may have caused the prussic acid release, Redmon said.
He called the cyanide deaths a "perfect storm" of conditions that remain under investigation. The grass, which had been stressed by drought, soaked up spring rains that prompted lush growth. Prussic acid levels are highest in new growth, which is the layer eaten first by cattle. Grasshoppers, which had reportedly infested the area, may have damaged the grass tissue, causing a release of prussic acid. The cattle were eager to munch on fresh grass.
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