Mexican Poppy- Argemone Mexicana
By Dr Mackie Hobson BSc(Agric),BVSc

1. Poisoning

Mexican poppy is very unpalatable, so Angora goats are very unlikely to eat the plant.

However it is possible that Lucerne lands that are heavily contaminated can be baled and fed to the goats.

Clinical signs

Cattle fed contaminated lucerne for a few months lost weight and developed subcutaneous oedema before dying.

Post Mortem findings

Macroscopic findings include: Subcutaneous oedema on ventral parts of the body, ascites and hydrothorax. Acutely affected animals will not show and lesions.

What are the toxins

The whole plant contains isoquinoline alkaloids, sanguinarine and dihydrosanguinarine are concentrated in the seeds.

What is affected by the toxin?

The cardiac toxins cause the signs of congestive heart failure

Reference: 

Plant Poisonings and Mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa- Kellerman, Coetzee and Naude