Plant Description (Johnsongrass):

1. A member of the grass family; fairly coarse blade with a thickened, light-colored mid-vein

2. Extensive underground stems or rhizomes from which it spreads

3. Top of plant terminates in a very open, large, lacy panicle which produces seeds.

Toxic Principle:

1. Nitrates accumulate in vegetative portion causing severe respiratory problems due to effects on hemoglobin in Red Blood Cells. Under drought conditions, many plants tend to accumulate larger concentrations of nitrates.

2. Many other plants have the capacity to accumulate nitrates and cause the same syndrome. A partial list follows:

      a) Weeds

      i) Pigweed                   vi) Sweet Clover

      ii) Lambsquarter         vii) Dock

      iii) Jimson Weed        viii) Nightshades

      iv) Canada Thistle        ix) Smartweed

      v) Wild Sunflower       x) Fireweed

      b) Crop Plants

      i) wheat           vi) rye

      ii) oats            vii) rape

      iii) barley       viii) alfalfa

      iv) corn           ix) soybeans

      v) flax

Disease:

1. Seen largely in cattle, sheep, or goats

2. Onset time can be less than one hour to several hours

3. Animals:

      a) appear depressed, weak

      b) have labored breathing

      c) become prostrate

      d) have dark mucous membranes

      e) blood becomes chocolate (reddish brown) color

      f) pregnant animals may abort

Treatment:

1. Administer Methylene Blue intravenously

2. Alternatively, use Ascorbic Acid

3. Also see Sorghum/Sudex information.