New incident report
Incident Report Number: 2013-6594
Registrant Reference Number: A130094254
Registrant Name (Full Legal Name no abbreviations): Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc.
Address: Suite 2100, 450 - 1 Street S.W.
City: Calgary
Prov / State: Alberta
Country: Canada
Postal Code: T2P 5H1
Domestic Animal
Country: UNITED STATES
Prov / State: KANSAS
PMRA Registration No. PMRA Submission No. EPA Registration No. 62719--519
Product Name: Milestone
Liquid
Yes
Other Units: per acre
Site: Agricultural-Outdoor/Agricole-extérieur
Préciser le type: pasture
Unknown
Medical Professional
Cow / Vache
Angus Cattle group of 2 (Bovine)
2
Male
0
Unknown
Unknown
>1 wk <=1 mo / > 1 sem < = 1 mois
>1 wk <=1 mo / > 1 sem < = 1 mois
System
Unknown / Inconnu
Unknown
Unknown
Died
Other / Autre
specify pregnant cow ingested treated thistle
(eg. description of the frequency and severity of the symptoms
The farmer had two calves die in the past week. Both calves apparently died at birth or shortly after. The cows did eat the thistles after application of the product and he is concerned that the herbicide may have played a part in the deaths since it is rare to have two calves die at birth. The caller says the field was fertilized with nitrates as well.
Death
There are no grazing restrictions listed on the label, so we would not expect this symptom to occur if the product was used per label. What we can see with herbicide use is that some toxic plants can become more palatable and more toxic after treatment with an herbicide. Russian Thistle accumulates nitrates and may become more toxic and palatable during wilting. In cattle, nitrates can result in Methb, which can result in fetal/infant death due to hypoxia. Because the time course was somewhat consistent, the amount was unknown consistent, and the findings were poorly consistent, this substance was considered to have doubtful likelihood of causing the clinical situation.