Occurrence: Most common in Southeast US, associated with soybean fields. Species affected: All. Age affected: All.

Causes: Ingestion of food containing crotalaris plant material (above 0.23% of diet containing the alkaloid toxin).

Effects: Increased thirst, dull, inactive, watery diarrhoea, bright yellow-green urates, watery discharge from nose and mouth.

Crotalaria is a toxic weed found in the southeastern part of the US. Poultry of all ages are susceptible to acute to chronic toxicity by ingestion of feed containing seed, leaves or stems of Crotalaria spectabilis. Crotalaria contains an alkaloid toxin, which is toxic to poultry at above 0.3% of the diet.

The week is common in soybean fields in southeast US and is picked up by mechanical pickers. Soybeans are downgraded if crotalaria are present. Crotalaria can be separated from soybeans by a screening process, but this adds to cost of processing.

Signs include increased thirst, dull, inactive, watery diarrhoea, bright yellow-green urates, off feed and watery discharge from nose and mouth.

Lesions include atrophied liver, ascites, subcutaneous oedema, hydropericardium, lung oedema, nephritis, hepatitis, and myocardial and skeletal haemorrhage.

Diagnosis is by feed analysis. Black mitten-shaped seeds can be seen in the feed. Clinical signs, gross and microscopic lesions are helpful.

Microscopic examination of the liver reveals bile duct hyperplasia.

It simulates salt toxicity, ascites due to metabolic causes, aflatoxicosis, vitamin E or selenium deficiency (exudative diathesis). The seeds are confused with soybean hulls.

Spot check of feed.

Fresh feed.

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