Cocklebur

Latin Name: Xanthium strumarium

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Large, elongated cotyledons and red-colored hypocotyls
  • Seedlings have short, thick stems with purple coloring at the stem base
  • Mature stems have a spotted look with black dots throughout the stem
  • Seed is a woody brown egg-shaped bur
  • Seed will stick to animal fur and clothing
  • Leaves are rough and have a triangular shape
  • Leaves have wavy or tooth margins

Plant Longevity:

  • Annual

Where Commonly Found:

  • Pastures
  • Wastelands
  • Flood plains
  • Overgrazed pastures
  • Roadsides

Time of Most Concern:

  • Young plants or when seeds are present

Compound that Causes Concern:

  • Carboxyatractyloside, a sulfated glycoside, found in high concentrations in the seed and cotyledons

Part of Plant Most Toxic:

  • Seedlings
  • Seeds

Livestock Species Affected:

  • Cattle
  • Swine
  • Sheep
  • Poultry

Pasture, Stored Feed, Both:

  • Both

Clinical Signs:

  • Signs of gastrointestinal pain
  • Anorexia
  • Weakness
  • Breathing problems
  • Behavioral change
  • Heart problems
  • Blindness in cattle
  • Convulsions
  • Death

Amount Needed to be Consumed for Clinical Signs / Death:

  • 0.75% of animals' weight of young seedlings may produce clinical signs or toxicosis in a few hours and death in 24-48 hours
    • 7.5 lbs in a 1,000 lb cow
  • 0.3% of body weight if seeds are consumed
    • 3 lbs in a 1,000 lb cow

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Large, elongated cotyledons and red-colored hypocotyls
  • Seedlings have short, thick stems with purple coloring at the stem base
  • Mature stems have a spotted look with black dots throughout the stem
  • Seed is a woody brown egg-shaped bur
  • Seed will stick to animal fur and clothing
  • Leaves are rough and have a triangular shape
  • Leaves have wavy or tooth margins

Plant Longevity:

  • Annual

Where Commonly Found:

  • Pastures
  • Wastelands
  • Flood plains
  • Overgrazed pastures
  • Roadsides

Time of Most Concern:

  • Young plants or when seeds are present

Compound that Causes Concern:

  • Carboxyatractyloside, a sulfated glycoside, found in high concentrations in the seed and cotyledons

Part of Plant Most Toxic:

  • Seedlings
  • Seeds

Livestock Species Affected:

  • Cattle
  • Swine
  • Sheep
  • Poultry

Pasture, Stored Feed, Both:

  • Both

Clinical Signs:

  • Signs of gastrointestinal pain
  • Anorexia
  • Weakness
  • Breathing problems
  • Behavioral change
  • Heart problems
  • Blindness in cattle
  • Convulsions
  • Death

Amount Needed to be Consumed for Clinical Signs / Death:

  • 0.75% of animals' weight of young seedlings may produce clinical signs or toxicosis in a few hours and death in 24-48 hours
    • 7.5 lbs in a 1,000 lb cow
  • 0.3% of body weight if seeds are consumed
    • 3 lbs in a 1,000 lb cow

https://cals.cornell.edu/weed-science/weed-profiles/common-cocklebur

https://www.agry.purdue.edu/courses/agry105/poison/cocklebur.htm

Beasely et al. Notes for Toxicology VB 320: A systems approach to veterinary toxicology. University of Illinois. 1994

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