Cyanide poisoning in livestock

Introduction Cyanide poisoning, also called prussic acid or hydrocyanic acid (HCN) poisoning, it is an important and often fatal poisonous condition in animals. It occurs when an animal eats plants that contain cyanogenic glycosides, such as sorghum, Sudan grass, and Johnson grass. Causes and Sources of Cyanide Poisoning Cyanide poisoning in animals may occur when livestock consume cyanogenic plants, from which they are released during digestion. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) or prussic acid is a toxic substance that can be particularly dangerous for ruminants like cows, sheep, and goats. It can be quickly produced by microorganisms inhabiting the rumen from the plant’s cyanogenic compounds.