High-Nitrate Weeds
Blamed In Cow Deaths

ROSWELL, N.M. — It was a toxic weed that killed 30 head of cattle near here last month, not aliens.

Roswell rancher Marcelo Macias reported finding 23 bred cows, three bulls and four calves dead in a pen northeast of Roswell the morning of Oct. 18. He says they were the fine the night before.

Thurman Reitz, assistant state veterinarian, says lab tests indicate the cattle died of nitrate poisoning. He says it came from one or more weeds that were apparently mixed with the one-ton bales of hay Macias had. The weeds, which have not been specifically identified, were most likely cut with the hay.

Nitrate poisoning affects an animal's blood, depriving the animal of oxygen, and it suffocates.

Macias says he recently got 100 bales of hay free from a Hagerman rancher. He has about 80 bales left.

He says that he's been feeding the hay to his sheep with no ill results, and no more of his cattle have died.

About 35 head in the same pen with the cattle that died apparently suffered no ill effects.