Forage-induced animal disorders

Forages are a major source of nutrients for herbivores around the world. In the United States and Canada about 110 million cattle, 7.4 million sheep, 1.4 million goats, and 7.4 million horses depend on forages for all or part of their nutritional needs (Table 45.1). Sometimes the balance of nutrients or presence of some constituent in the forage will have negative effects on animal health. This chapter presents some of these forage-induced health problems, including bloat, milk fever, grass tetany, laminitis, nitrate poisoning, mineral imbalances, and effects of toxic secondary compounds