Spergula arvensis
spurrey, yarr
Short sprawling or erect annual with sticky hairs all over. Leaves linear in whorls. Flowers white, 4 - 8mm with five petals.
A number of related plants grow in NZ, but have not been shown to be poisonous.
Locally common on disturbed ground, including reseeded pasture. Does not like lime.
The toxic principle is unknown, although oxalate has been suggested. It seems to cause a hypocalcaemia.
Dairy cows.
Clinical signs are identical to milk fever.
Clinical signs, weed in pasture and response to calcium.
Milk fever.
Remove animals from source and give iv calcium salts as for milk fever.
Good in cows receiving calcium. In the two reported cases, 8 of 180 and 3 of 520 cows all responded to calcium borogluconate and appeared normal within a few hours.
Do not feed crops with a large proportion of spurrey.
Hicks JD, Taylor SN, 2000, Clinical hypocalcaemia associated with Yarr (Spergula arvensis) ingestion. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 48(3): 90
Surveillance 2005, 32(2): 28
