Acute bovine liver disease

Agriculture Victoria – Grampians Ag News

By Dr Jeff Cave, Senior Veterinary Officer

With the abundant pasture growth of recent months, and the light stocking rates on many properties, there may be a large amount of dry standing feed present.

This coupled with autumn breaking rains, farmers are advised to be on the lookout for an emerging disease of cattle named Acute Bovine Liver Disease (ABLD).

The disease was first noted in Tasmania in 1987, and in recent years several incidents have been seen in south-west Victoria, south-east South Australia, Gippsland, and north-east Victoria.

The condition has been seen in both beef and dairy cattle. In the worst cases there has been a sudden onset of deaths in cattle. In some incidents there were many cattle deaths.

The typical symptoms of photosensitisation, such as depression, agitation, raised temperature, and reddening of the lighter coloured skin and udder may be seen prior to death, and are also common conditions amongst the surviving animals.

The pathology reports are consistent with an acute liver disease. Cases are consistently linked to access to a plant called Rough Dog’s Tail (Cynosurus echinatus), also known as Manifold Grass (see image above).

Whether the grass itself is poisonous, or whether it is a carrier for another toxin such as a fungus, is to be established.

There is no known direct cure of affected cattle, but veterinary treatment to alleviate the effects of photosensitisation may help. To date, ABLD has not been identified in other species.

Several common features have been seen during each outbreak:
• access to Rough Dog’s Tail prior to the onset of clinical signs. Rough Dog’s Tail is typically found on steep, hilly paddocks adjoining crown land.
• access to paddocks with an abundance of dry standing feed that had been spelled for over three months.
• significant season breaking rain in late autumn or early winter at the time of the introduction of cattle onto those paddocks.

For further information please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer.

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