Larry%20had%20a%20little%20lamb

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Larry had a little lamb.

• By
• Andy Peterson
• Ann Huenink
• Averi Sauder
• Kristin Thompson

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Case Overview

• Larry Spikes a sheep rancher from Spanish Forks,
  Utah is complaining of monkey faced lambs with
  short legs and motor nerve paralysis.
• The sheep herds had been left on mountain
  pastures (7500-9500 ft) later into the fall
  breeding season than usual because of a drought.
• The plants that the sheep have been exposed to
  are lupine and corn lily.

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Corn Lily

• Also known as Veratrum Californicum.
• Toxin steroidal alkaloids that are teratogenic
  (jervine, cyclopamine and
• cycloposine).
• Toxicity 45 grams of roots/rhizomes given twice
  daily for three days can be toxic to livestock.

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Birth Defects
Exposure (day of gestation) Effect
0-10 Failure to implant in utero
12-14 Cyclopia
12-34 Motor nerve paralysis
22-30 Cleft palate
25-36 Hypoplasia of metacarpals and tarsals
Shortly after hypoplasia Tracheal stenosis (causes death of fetus)
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Lupine

• Toxin quinolizidine alkaloid
• Toxicity toxic when ingested at 1 or less of
  body weight.
• The toxin is only produced in a moist
  environment.

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Which plant was toxic?

• Corn Lily produced the toxin that caused the
  birth defects that the farmer observed.
• It is not Lupine because this plant requires a
  moist environment to produce its toxin.
• Also the farmer did not observe signs of lupine
  poisoning which was salivating, ataxia, seizures,
  and head pressing.

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Toxin Mechanism

• Cyclopamine disrupts Shh- dependent pathway
• These inhibitors reduce Shh target gene
  transcription and block Shh pathway-dependent
  proliferation.
• This blocks cholesterol from being converted into
  steroid hormones which in return block signaling
  pathways that guide development.

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Suggestions for Larry!

• Avoid overgrazing especially during the fall
  breeding season.
• Increase rotational grazing procedures.
• Invest in alternative feed options when pastures
  are limited during drought conditions.
• Keep breeding ewes off high altitude grazing
  pastures.

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Symptoms

• Increased gestational period
• Failure to lamb
• Vomiting
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Convulsions
• Excessive salivation and general body weakness
• DEATH

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Works Cited

• www.sheepmagazine.com/issues/07_08_05.html
• http//depts.washington.edu/ceeh/News/sonic.htm
• http//dev.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/125/18/3553.
  pdf
• http//www.cybergoat.com/cyclopia/cyclopia.htm