Black cherry tree leaves can be troublesome to deal with for horse owners: these leaves don't always pose a risk to horses, but are particularly dangerous when wilted.
Black cherries are members of the Prunus family, which also include peach, plum, chokecherry, and fire cherry trees. Leaves of these trees contain cyanogenic glycosides, which convert to cyanide when the leaves wilt. Ingestion of wilted leaves can lead to cyanide poisoning in animals that ingest it, reports The Horse.
Native to Central America, North America, and Mexico, dead, dried or crumbling cherry tree leaves don't pose as much of a threat to horses, but wilted leaves can be lethal if ingested in high enough doses. Horses that are fed well will rarely ingest wilted leaves if they have access to adequate forage, which may include supplementation of free-choice hay in the fall when grass is sparse.
Some horses, if inquisitive, may eat the leaves to try them, even if offered adequate hay. Luckily, a few mouthfuls shouldn't hurt – a 1,200-pound dairy cow must ingest between 1.2 and 4.8 pounds of wilted leaves to receive a lethal dose.
Of greater concern than ingestion is the possibility of trees harboring the Eastern tent caterpillar; these trees are the favored food source of the insects. Eastern tent caterpillars pose a great risk to pregnant mares: if ingested, they can cause early- and late-term fetal losses, late-term foal losses, and weak foals. It is recommended that any black cherry trees near pregnant mare fields be removed.
If you're unsure whether black cherry or any other toxic plants may exist near equine pastures, contact a local extension agent or botanist to be sure exactly which types of trees you have. A toxicologist, often found at veterinary diagnostic labs, can assist in determining whether the trees are poisonous.
Rea more at The Horse.
The post Equine Property Planning: Black Cherry Trees Can Pose Serious Health Risks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
