376 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [VI, IV

I quite agree with Dr. McIsaac that green healthy plants can be fed safely, and
it is clearly mentioned in my article that normally it forms a wholesome fodder
for animals. The point to discuss is whether the plant when wilted and stunted
or under other abnormal conditions mentioned in the article, acquires toxic
properties or not. Dr. McIsaac holds that it is absolutely safe to feed the cattle
on sorghum under all conditions.

Now let us analyse the facts in the light of recent research and analytic
works done on sorghum in India and abroad.

1. Tarantino, G. B. (1935) Toxicity of young sorghum, Clin. Vet. Milano.
58, 66-73.

Experiments were conducted to determine the variations in toxicity of the
plant. One horse, two oxen and two goats were given a diet consisting solely of
sorghum which had been grown for 30 days. On the 4th day of feeding the
horse and oxen became ill and died unexpected in a short time.

2. Busso,L. (1934) Cyanogenetic plants, sorghum gentile poisoning in
cattle. Boll. 1st. Zooprofil, Sper, Turin. March, pp. 34-46.

The cyanogenetic compounds occur in plants at the points of greatest meta-
bolic activity and their formation is influenced by such factors as light, soil-condi-
tions, moisture, etc. Varieties of sorghum have recently been grown in Italy for
cattle-fodder and the author records several cases of poisoning. These plants
contain a cyanogenetic glucoside and an enzyme which together produce a
dangerous amount of prussic acid under certain conditions. In one case, two
animals died and several others became ill after they had received a diet consisting
solely of sorghum gentile. Young sorghum plants or those grown under unsuitable
climatic conditions or on land which has been heavily manured with nitrates are
likely to be dangerous.

3. In the Punjab it is commonly known as sokar (stunted) jowar poisoning.
Col. G. K. Walker, the late Principal of the Punjab Veterinary College, Lahore,
says in The Veterinary Bulletin No. 1921, " When crops of jowar suffer from want
of water it is found that the leaves of the young plants elaborate a poison. If
eaten by cattle the following symptoms are noticed. Dullness followed by
tympanites, foaming at the mouth, etc. Death frequently results."

4. Coleman, F. F. (1934) carried out a comprehensive series of analysis for
hydrocyanic acid (cyanogenetic glucoside) on several species of sorghum at various
stages of growth. In all species hydrocyanic acid content decreased as the
plants matured. (For details please see the Rept. Dept. Agri. 1933-34,
pp. 144-147).

5. Peters, Slade, and Avery (1903). Poisoning of cattle by common sorghum
and Kaffir corn. Nebr. Agr. Sol. Bull. 77 (Experimental station U. S. A.). They
say that the poisonous character of the plant was due to the elaboration in it