Project Number: 5428-31320-005-02
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: May 01, 2006
End Date: Apr 30, 2010

Objective:
Lupine continues to be a serious economic problem to livestock producers in the western United States. Objectives are 1) determine relationship between weather patterns and lupine population cycles; 2) describe conditions under which cattle consume lupine; and 3) determine how much lupine and how long lupine must be grazed for "crooked calves" to be produced. Native cows will be used from ranches where lupine-induced "crooked calf" disease is endemic.

Approach:
Lupine-induced "crooked calf" disease causes significant losses in the western U.S. In 1997 4,000 calves from about 12,000 cows either died or were destroyed in Adams County, Washington because of birth defects. This resulted in a $1.7 million direct loss and over $5 million in indirect losses in Adams County alone. Lupine-induced losses also occurred in Utah, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. We proposed collaborative experiments with WSU to examine why cattle ingest lupines; 1) grazing studies using 12 native cows to determine how long cows must graze lupine before "crooked calves" are produced. Grazing of lupine will be monitored throughout the grazing season and plants will be analyzed for teratogenic alkaloids. Incidence of "crooked calves" born next spring will be recorded; 2) Population cycles of lupine will be monitored the next 3 years to compare lupine growth patterns with changing weather conditions; and 3) ten cows will be given supplemental feed to determine if additional protein in the diet will reduce lupine ingestion.