# Jim Hill Mustard Weed?



## happyhedgehog (Nov 4, 2010)

Hi,
My neighbor stopped my husband the other day to tell him that both she and another neighbor have both lost goats to some mysterious disorder and one of them finally called the vet, who cited Mustard weed as the culprit. I have never seen this weed on any toxic list and am curious to know if any one else has had any experience with this. My first reaction was to doubt the info, but on the other hand my neighbor does have a lot mustard weed on her place this year, (Which means I'll have it next year.) and her goat herd does seem to have vanished. I'd like to know how vigilant we need to be about this weed- it seems to be new to this area.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

This plant is also known as Tumble (or Tumbling) Mustard. What I'm finding is that the major effects seem to be in causing birth defects in babies whose mothers consumed the plant during pregnancy. That doesn't mean that those are the only issues, but that's the only thing that I've found. What reason did the vet give for believing that it was the mustard that was the problem?


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## happyhedgehog (Nov 4, 2010)

I am not sure, they had all apparently though it was goiter at first due to growths on the dead goats necks. 
Have you had problems in your herd with birth defects, due to this? I have seen people request that their hay be free of this weed if they are feeding it to pregnant mares.


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## freedomfrom4 (Nov 4, 2009)

If these are the same plant the second link talks about toxicity and I put an excert about what it said about toxicity below it

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/tumble_mustard.html

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/03-043.htm
Wild mustard is regarded as palatable in young stages, but seeds may cause serious illness in livestock if ingested in large quantities. Wild mustard seed poisoning has the symptoms of severe gastroenteritis due to toxic compounds including Allylisothiocyanate, Sinapine, and Sinalbin. Symptoms such as severe pain, salivation, diarrhea and irritation of the mouth may appear soon after ingestion of a toxic amount and could eventually result in death.


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## happyhedgehog (Nov 4, 2010)

freedomfrom4 said:


> If these are the same plant the second link talks about toxicity and I put an excert about what it said about toxicity below it
> 
> http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/tumble_mustard.html


Yep, that is it. Thank You. I'm thinking it must have come in her hay dried with the seeds, as the plants on her place haven't gone to seed yet, and her pen/field is the only spot right here covered in the stuff. We didn't have any out here at all until this year, and I only saw it around the area starting last year.


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