Recent remnants of Hurricane Ike passed across the area on Sept. 14, prompting concerns about leaves from wild cherry trees that were blown into pasture areas. In some cases, reports were made about trees being blown down across fences. Each year cattle, sheep and horse producers across the United States lose animals to poisoning from these trees.

Easily identified, the members of the "wild cherry" family include Wild Black, Choke and Pin Cherry. These trees can grow 15 to 20 feet tall and are commonly found in fencerows, roadsides and open woods. Fruits are true cherries and are small (does anyone remember peashooters?) and have a darkened red to black color. Leaves are positioned alternately along the shoots and are elliptical in shape with a point.

All plant parts of the cherry tree family contain the poisonous compound but damage to or wilting of the leaves results in highest poisoning incidences. Damage can result from frost, trampling, drought and wilting as a result of storm damage.

Cherry leaves contain a compound called glycoside. When damaged or stressed, the glycoside breaks down into cyanide and sugar. The cyanide is the poison compound and the sugar makes the leaves more palatable to the animal. Small amounts of healthy plant parts can be consumed safely but only small amounts, 2 ounces or a few handfuls, of damaged leaves can be deadly.

Cyanide prevents the animal from being able to utilize oxygen in the blood at the cellular level. Animals will breathe normally but the cells and tissue will suffocate. Signs of poisoning rapidly appear. Animals will tend to breathe more rapidly and deeply. Later, trembling and loss of coordination lead to collapse. Blood and mucous areas of the mouth will be bright red in color. Violent death results from respiratory and/or cardiac arrest, usually within moments to an hour. If animals survive for two to three hours, their chance of survival is good.

Do not try to handle downed animals. Additional stress leads to additional complications and handlers have been injured by kicking animals. Intravenous solutions of sodium nitrate or sodium thiosulfate have proven successful but timeliness is urgent.

The best control for reducing wild cherry poisoning is to identify and remove all cherry trees from areas close to grazing livestock. Treat stumps with herbicides to prevent resprouting.

Note that if you treat growing plants with herbicides prior to leaf drop these treated leaves can also result in poisoning. (Sources: PSU Veterinary Sciences, VA Cooperative Extension.)

Miss Simpson's Metro Grace

Competing recently in the 45th All-American Dairy Show at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex was the Roy Simpson and Sons farm of Butler.

Roy Simpson and Sons farm on Mushrush Road in Penn Township exhibited one of its prize registered Holsteins. Its entry, Miss Simpson's Metro Grace, claimed Grand Champion at the Northwest District Championship show in July at Meadville then went on to win 1st place at the PA Fall Championship show in Harrisburg.

Grace also was named All-Pennsylvania 4-year-old Holstein for 2008. However, the All-American Dairy show attracts exhibitors from all over the United States. In the 4-year-old open show at the All-American Simpson's Grace placed fourth, the three cows placing above her were from Delaware, Texas and Connecticut.

This was a tremendous accomplishment for a local dairy producer to place so well at that level. There might have been other local entries and winners, but at this time, the Simpson entry was the only one reported to FSA. Congratulations go out to all the participants.

Ag Humor

Two hunters are dragging their dead deer back to their truck. Another hunter approaches pulling his along too. He says, "Hey, I don't want to tell you how to do something, but I can tell you that it's much easier if you drag the deer in the other direction. Then the antlers won't dig into the ground."

After the third hunter leaves, the two decide to try it. One hunter says to the other, "You know, that guy was right. This is a lot easier!"

"Yeah," says his pal, "but we're getting farther from the truck."

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.