Mass poisoning in cattle, palm doves and mink caused by the coccidiostat dibutyltin dilaurate.

Poisoning caused by dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTD) was diagnosed in cattle, mink, and palm doves. The accidental addition of a DBTD premix to calf concentrates at levels up to 25000 ppm on 18 farms caused poisoning in 1000 cattle, of which 171 died and 287 were slaughtered. High concentrations of tin were found in the cattle tissues and precluded their consumption by humans. Palm doves ingesting concentrates containing 12500 ppm DBTD on one farm were also poisoned and had high concentrations of tin in tissues. Mink were inadvertently fed a vitamin-mineral supplement containing about 1700 ppm DBTD. They appeared the most suceptible of the three species to this compound.