Forages of Texas - North Central » Forage Livestock Disorders

DISORDER: Coumarin Plant Species: Sweetclover Causes: Coumarin is converted to dicoumarol during heating and spoilage. Mode of Action: Dicoumarol, a fermentation product, deactivates vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting. Animals internally bleed to death (usually within 3 days). Animal Symptoms: Anemia and weakness; neurological signs may occur if hemorrhage develops in the brain. Conditions: It occurs in sweetclover moldy hay. Treatment: Treat with Vitamin K. Prevention: Select low coumarin cultivars or do not hay sweetclover. Notes: Cumarin is used as blood thinner in humans. Warfarin (coumarin) is used as a rat poison. Currently, research on development of low-coumarin sweet clovers is on-going (Dr. G. Smith at Overton). More Disorders: | Blister Beetle | Bloat | Coumarin | Fescue Toxicosis | Fog Fever | Gossypol Toxicity | Grass Tetany | | Interstitial Cystitis | Lathyrism | Milk Fever | Nitrate Poisoning | Photosensitization | Prussic Acid | Staggers | |  Ag Programs   |  Center Information   |  Faculty & Staff   |  Texas AgriLife Research   |  Texas AgriLife Extension Service   |  Weather  | [ State of Texas Homepage | Privacy Policy | Open Records Policy | Copyright Infringement | Required Links | Statement of Purpose ]  Copyright ©2009 · Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Service · Stephenville, Texas 76401 · 254.968.4144  Contact the Webmaster at:  stephenville@ag.tamu.edu