OAK (QUERCUS-INCANA) LEAF POISONING IN CATTLE

Oak poisoning occurred in crossbred cattle due to eating immature tend er oak (Quercus incana) leaves. Mortality was 70%. The animals exhibit ed anorexia, severe constipation and brisket edema. The feces were har d, pelleted and coated with blood and mucous. Significant reductions i n blood hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and significant el evations in serum bilirubin were observed. Serum urea nitrogen and cre atinine were greatly increased. There was bilirubinuria, proteinuria, hypoproteinemia and hypocalcemia, and greatly increased activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline p hosphatase. The levels of tannins and condensed tannins were 97.7 mg t annic acid equivalent and 5.8 mg catechin equivalent/g of dry leaves. There was extensive nephro- and hepatotoxicity in the affected cattle due to hydrolysable tannins and simple phenols in the oak leaves.