Outbreak of Peracute Urea Toxicosis in Sheep Following the Consumption of New Packages of Grain Barley

Abstract

 The objective of this report was to describe peracute urea poisoning deaths in 84 Ile de France and Merinos breed sheep due to following the consumption of new packages of grain barley on July 30, 2014 in Ivrindi, Balıkesir, Turkey. The owner of the sheep and a local veterinarian reported that in the farm there were in total 800 sheep, and 325 of animals were fed with new packages of grain barleys and 84 of which were observed dead after feeding in three-four hours. Clinical signs in all affected animals prior to death were uneasiness and ataxia, incoordination, grinding teeth, salivation, severe struggling and bellowing, abdominal bloat, lateral re-cumbence, convulsions, and deaths occurred in one and half hour after first clinical signs. The presences of white urea particles were intensive especially at the bottom of the packages of barley. Urea, crude protein, nitrate and nitrite analysis were performed in barley samples. Analysed barley samples had quite high urea concentration (8.76%) and crude protein (27.81%). Anamnesis, clinical signs and laboratory analysis indicated peracute urea poisoning in sheep. 
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