DETERMINATION OF ALKALOID EXPOSURE IN A MODEL RUMINANT (GOAT) USING AMULTIRESIDUE SCREENING METHOD

A new multiresidue analytical screen for estimating alkaloid exposure in livestock has been evaluated on biological samples from goats dosed with sublethal amounts of five plants known to cause acute poisoning in animals. The plant species selected were Conium maculatum (poison h emlock), Nicotiana glauca (tree tobacco), Delphinium barbeyi (larkspur ), Datura wrightii (jimsonweed), and Taxus baccata (English yew). Anim als were euthanized when toxic signs developed or when 3-7 hours had p assed after the dose. The liver, kidney, rumen contents, abomasal cont ents, urine, and serum from each animal were examined for the presence of alkaloids. Alkaloid contents were determined by GC with nitrogen-p hosphorus detection, GC/MS, and a modified commercial thin layer chrom atography system. Alkaloids from the plants were detected at levels gr eater than 1 mu g/g in samples of rumen and abomasal contents and in m ost urine, kidney and liver samples. No alkaloids were detected in ser um samples at concentrations greater than 0.5 mu g/g. The multiresidue screening method enabled identification and quantitation of alkaloids in biological samples from goats dosed with sub-lethal amounts of the five plants.