Management of Nitrate and Nitrite Toxicity in Ruminants

The nitrate and nitrite toxicity among the ruminant is the most important field level problem. Nitrate level in feed and water is generally considered an undesirable compound induces methemoglobinaemia and causes sudden death. In an organized farm of Tamil Nadu, 5 cattle and 3 sheep and 5 goats died suddenly with the symptoms of gasping, difficult rapid breath, general weakness, trembling, hypersalivation, staggering gait, vomiting and diarrhoea. The clinical examination of affected animal revealed cyanotic appearance of eye, tongue, blue / chocolate coloured mucous membranes. The post mortem examination of affected animals revealed that bluish stripping of the rumen wall and intestinal linings, dark brown blood and pin-point haemorrhages in the all-visceral organs, congestion, haemorrhages and inflammation of heart, liver, spleen, kidney organs and brownish red discolouration of blood with poor clotting mechanism. The post mortem samples along with feed and water were collected from affected farms and submitted to toxicological laboratory for analysis of various toxicity. The toxicology analysis revealed that the level of nitrite and nitrate toxicity in feed (1300mg / kg), water (150mg/lit) rumen content and visceral organs shows at the level of (300mg / g), the samples were negative for organochlorine pesticide, organ phosphorous and organocarbomate pesticides. Proper feeding management and administration of methylene blue at the rate of 1-4 % intravenously with 5 % dextrose or 1 gram of methylene blue /100kg of body weight with repeated dose of 20-30 min will effectively control the nitrate toxicity in affected animals.