Saleem Rashid, Campbell Shane, Fletcher Mary T, Kalaipandian Sundaravelpandian, Adkins Steve W
School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Coopers Plains, Brisbane, QLD 4108, Australia.
Toxins (Basel). 2025 Aug 6;17(8):393. doi: 10.3390/toxins17080393.
is one of the highly toxic plants in Australia, particularly affecting cattle. It contains simplexin, a potent toxin that can cause poisoning (St. George Disease) in livestock. A survey was conducted to assess the current impact of on livestock production, pasture systems, and financial losses among agricultural producers. In addition, information was also sought about the environmental conditions that facilitate its growth and the effectiveness of existing management strategies. The survey responses were obtained from producers affected by across nine different Local Government Areas, through three States, viz., Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia. was reported to significantly affect animal production, with 97% of producers surveyed acknowledging its detrimental effects. Among livestock, cattle were the most severely affected (94%), when compared to sheep (13%), goats (3%), and horses (3%). The presence of was mostly observed in spring (65%) and winter (48%), although 29% of respondents indicated that it could be present all year-round under favorable rainfall conditions. Germination was associated with light to moderate rainfall (52%), while only 24% linked it to heavy rainfall. F. Muell. was the most frequently encountered species (71%), followed by Lindl. (26%). Infestations were reported to occur annually by 47% of producers, with 41% noting occurrences every 2 to 5 years. Financially, producers estimated average annual losses of AUD 67,000, with 50% reporting an average of 26 cattle deaths per year, reaching up to 105 deaths in severe years. Some producers were spending up to AUD 2100 per annum to manage . While chemical and physical controls were commonly employed, integrating competitive pastures and alternative livestock, such as sheep and goats, was considered as a potential management strategy. This study reiterates the need for further research on sustainable pasture management practices to reduce -related risks to livestock and agricultural production systems.
是澳大利亚毒性极强的植物之一，对牛的影响尤为严重。它含有单辛，一种能导致牲畜中毒（圣乔治病）的强效毒素。开展了一项调查，以评估其对牲畜生产、牧场系统以及农业生产者经济损失的当前影响。此外，还收集了有关促进其生长的环境条件以及现有管理策略有效性的信息。通过三个州（即昆士兰州、新南威尔士州和南澳大利亚州）九个不同地方政府区域内受其影响的生产者获得了调查回复。据报告，它对动物生产有显著影响，97% 的受访生产者承认其有害影响。在牲畜中，与绵羊（13%）、山羊（3%）和马（3%）相比，牛受影响最为严重（94%）。大多在春季（65%）和冬季（48%）观察到它的存在，不过29% 的受访者表示，在降雨条件适宜的情况下它可能全年都存在。发芽与轻度至中度降雨（52%）相关，而只有24% 的受访者将其与暴雨联系起来。最常遇到的物种是F. Muell.（71%），其次是Lindl.（26%）。47% 的生产者报告每年发生侵扰，41% 的生产者指出每2至5年发生一次。在经济方面，生产者估计平均每年损失67,000澳元，50% 的生产者报告平均每年有26头牛死亡，在严重年份可达105头。一些生产者每年花费高达2100澳元来应对它。虽然化学和物理控制方法普遍使用，但整合竞争性牧场以及引入替代牲畜，如绵羊和山羊，被视为一种潜在的管理策略。这项研究重申需要进一步研究可持续的牧场管理做法，以降低其对牲畜和农业生产系统造成的相关风险。
