There are more than 100 species of milkweed in the United States, each species containing varying levels of different toxins. Whether a horse can be poisoned from eating milkweed depends on the species he has eaten and how much he consumes.
Milkweed that has narrow leaves attached to stems in whorls contain toxins that can affect a horse's nervous system, reports EQUUS magazine. These types of milkweed may be considered palatable to horses when green and also when dried in hay, says Dr. Anthony Knight of Colorado State University.
Most equine poisonings are associated with these species of milkweed (Asclepias subverticillata and Asclepias fascicularis).
Meanwhile, broad-leaved species of milkweed contain cardenolides, which can affect a horse's heart and cause sudden death. These types of milkweed are not as palatable to horses; a 1,000-pound horse would need to eat two to three pounds of the green plant to ingest enough to poison him.
If there is milkweed on the property a horse routinely grazes, it is worthwhile to take a sample to your local extension office for identification.
Read more at EQUUS magazine.
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