Lupine- “Crooked Calf Disease” Can it be related to birth defects in other species?

Case Problem Overview Lupine caused significant calf losses in the Western United States (4,000+ calves from 12,000 cows died in one county) New human baby born in mountainous backcountry of NW California severe bone deformities in arms and hands partial absence of forearm bones absence of thumbs medical history indicates deformities were not the result of genetics Goats on the farm gave birth to deformed kids Pregnant bitch was fed goat’s milk and had a litter of deformed puppies Pregnant woman also drank goat’s milk during pregnancy

What is Crooked Calf Disease? characterized by bone abnormalities in the forelimbs, spine, and skull can be directly attributed to a pregnant mother’s ingestion of a specific lupine alkaloid, anagyrine the alkaloids act as a sedative, keeping the fetus in an abnormal position, so that it continues to grow while fixed in that position. this causes the bone abnormalities.3

Hypothesis We hypothesize that there is a relation between the birth defects of the human baby, goats, and dogs to the lupine induced “crooked calf disease”. symptoms are similar Goats grazing may have ingested the lupine alkaloid, which allowed the toxin in their system it seems to be transmittable through milk evidenced by the fact that both the woman and bitch drank the goat’s milk and had deformed offspring

Evidence to support Hypothesis Lupine ingestion is widely accepted as the cause of “crooked calf disease” No direct evidence available between lupine and goats Tests could be run to detect the presence of anagyrine in goat’s milk it has been found that when goats are fed lupine seeds, anagyrine can be detected in the milk almost immediately.2 Investigations in test animals to determine how much of the anagyrine needs to be transferred to cause abnormalities

Conclusions Circumstances are too coincidental to be three separate, isolated incidents appears to support hypothesis

References 1.http://www.wisc.edu/ansci_repro/lab/lab12_03/lab12_cases/case7_goat.htm 2. Kilgore, Wendell W., Crosby, Donald G.,  Craigmill, Arthur L., and Poppen, Norman K. <http://extoxnet.orst.edu/newsletters/n23_81.htm> 3. <http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-fdiu/CrookCalf.asp>