The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is urging farmers to carefully check their fields and hedgerows for sources of lead before turning animals out for grazing this spring.

The Department has said that lead poisonings commonly peak in late spring and early summer as animals are turned out to pasture and can cause substantial losses for farmers.

Hedgerows specifically beside public roads should be checked thoroughly for dumped risk materials.

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Lead is highly toxic to animals, especially cattle and sheep, with calves being notably affected due to their risk increased susceptibility and curious nature.

The Department has said: “Catastrophic losses have occurred on occasion, where discarded batteries have been accidentally incorporated into silage and this silage then fed to cattle.”

Additionally, lead exposures pose a public health risk if it occurs in milking cows or beef cattle ready for slaughter, which may enter the food chain. However, lead poisoning cases are investigated carefully by the Department to protect the human food chain.

Possible sources of lead

  • Lead batteries, including old car/tractor batteries and electric fencing batteries.
  • Discarded Lead flashing and lead piping.
  • Bonfire ash.
  • Old lead paint tins and flaking lead paint.

    • Clinical signs

  • Toxicity can occur within 24 hours of exposure.
  • Blindness.
  • Ataxia.
  • Head pressing.
  • Convulsions.

    • Fragments of a battery found in the stomach of an animal that died from lead poisoning. / Department of Agriculture

    Diagnosis

    In terms of diagnosis, lead poisoning can be found through clinical signs or by finding a source of lead which the animals had access to.

    “Measurement of lead concentrations in tissue or blood by your local Department regional veterinary laboratory, on referral by your vet, will confirm the diagnosis,” the Department has stated.

    Key preventative actions advised by Department

  • Search the fields and hedgerows for discarded batteries, lead shot, old painted items or other possible sources of lead before turning animals out to grass this spring, especially in fields bounded by a public road.
  • Dispose of all lead batteries carefully according to local authority guidelines and keep away from animals and animal feed.
  • Do not allow animals access to old cars or tractors as leakage from their batteries or sump oil can occur and old car seat coverings (linoleum) often contain lead.
  • Do not use timber painted with old toxic lead paints, such as an old painted door to block a gap or allowing animals, especially calves, access to them, as they have have a tendency to lick such items.
  • Do not use lead pipes for plumbing, or red lead paint for preserving metalwork or timber.
  • Painted pallets may be a source of lead, especially if recycled as partitions.
  • Old bonfire sites can contain lead in the ash residues, keep animals away.

    • The Department recommends that “if you suspect lead poisoning in an animal, contact your vet. They will be able to advise you regarding the diagnosis and can arrange to have clinical samples tested or a postmortem conducted on your animal at a Department veterinary laboratory to confirm the diagnosis.”

    Read more

    Heifer dies from lead poisoning after ingesting discarded battery

    Lead poisoning from old paint kills two young calves