General
poisoning
notes:
Field
horsetail
(Equisetum
arvense)
is a
native
plant
growing
across
Canada.
This
plant
contains
thiaminase
which
causes
thiamine
deficiency
in
horses.
Ruminants
are not
generally
affected
by
problems
of
thiamine
deficiency
because
it is
made in
the
rumen.
However,
some
cattle
were
reported
to have
symptoms.
In
Canada,
horses
have
been
poisoned
by
ingesting
field
horsetail
(Henderson
et al.
1952,
Cheeke
and
Schull
1985).
References:
Cody, W.
J.,
Wagner,
V. 1981.
The
biology
of
Canadian
weeds.
49.
Equisetum
arvense
L., 61:
123-133.
Henderson,
J. A.,
Evans,
E. V.,
McIntosh,
R. A.
1951.
The
antithiamine
action
to
Equisetum.
J. Am.
Vet.
Med.
Assoc.,
120:
375-378.
Nomenclature:
Scientific
Name:
Equisetum
arvense
L.
Vernacular
name(s):
field
horsetail
Scientific
family
name:
Equisetaceae
Vernacular
family
name:
horsetail
Go to
ITIS*ca
for more
taxonomic
information
on:
Equisetum
arvense
References:
Agriculture
Quebec.
1975.
Noms des
maladies
des
plantes
du
Canada/
Names of
plant
diseases
in
Canada.
, Quebec
City,
Que.,
Canada.
288 pp.
Alex, J.
F.,
Cayouette,
R.,
Mulligan,
G. A.
1980.
Common
and
botanical
names of
weeds in
Canada/Noms
populaire
et
scientifiques
des
plantes
nuisibles
du
Canada.
Revised.
Agric.
Can.
Publ.,
Ottawa,
Ont.,
Canada.
132 pp.
Bailey,
L. H.,
Bailey,
E. Z.
1976.
Hortus
third.
Revised.
MacMillan,
New
York,
N.Y.,
USA.
1290 pp.
Scoggan,
H. J.
1978,
1979.
The
flora of
Canada.
Nat. Mus.
Nat. Sci.
(Ottawa)
Publ.
Bot.
7(1)-7(4).
1711 pp.
Van
Wijk, H.
L. 1911.
A
dictionary
of plant
names.
Martinus
Nijhoff,
The
Hague,
The
Netherlands.
1444 pp.
Victorin,
M. 1964.
Flore
Laurentienne.
2nd ed.
Univ.
Montreal,
Montreal,
Que.,
Canada.
952 pp.
Geographic
Information
Alberta
British
Columbia
Labrador
Manitoba
New
Brunswick
Newfoundland
Northwest
Territories
Nova
Scotia
Ontario
Prince
Edward
Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
Territory
References:
Bailey,
L. H.,
Bailey,
E. Z.
1976.
Hortus
third.
Revised.
MacMillan,
New
York,
N.Y.,
USA.
1290 pp.
Boivin,
B. 1966,
1967.
Énumération
des
plantes
du
Canada.
Provencheria
6. Nat.
Can.
(Que.)
93:
253-274;
371-437;
583-646;
989-1063.
94:
131-157;
471-528;
625-655.
Image or
illustration
field
horsetail:
Images:
images.google.com
Notes on
Poisonous
plant
parts:
The
horsetails
have
separate
fertile
and
sterile
fronds.
Field
horsetail
has a
fertile
frond
that is
flesh-colored
and
appears
before
the
green
sterile
frond.
Toxic
parts:
leaves
stems
References:
Cheeke,
P. R.,
Shull,
L. R.
1985.
Natural
toxicants
in feeds
and
poisonous
plants.
AVI
Publishing
Company,
Inc.,
Westport,
Conn.,
USA. 492
pp.
Notes on
Toxic
plant
chemicals:
Thiaminase
is an
enzyme
that
splits
thiamine,
a B
vitamin,
making
it
inactive.
Thiamine
is
involved
in
decarboxylation
reactions
in
animal
bodies.
Deficiency
of
thiamine
leads to
accumulation
of
pyruvate
in the
blood,
with a
resulting
impairment
in
energy
metabolism
and
cellular
shortage
of ATP.
Hay that
contains
horsetail
at a
level of
20% or
more may
produce
symptoms
of
thiamine
deficiency
in
horses
in 2-5
weeks (Cheeke
and
Schull
1985).
Toxic
plant
chemicals:
thiaminase
References:
Cheeke,
P. R.,
Shull,
L. R.
1985.
Natural
toxicants
in feeds
and
poisonous
plants.
AVI
Publishing
Company,
Inc.,
Westport,
Conn.,
USA. 492
pp.
Animals/Human
Poisoning:
Note:
When an
animal
is
listed
without
additional
information,
the
literature
(as of
1993)
contained
no
detailed
explanation.
Cattle
Horses
Sheep
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