Stock tanks are a common sight across Oklahoma pastures. For livestock producers, they are one of the most practical ways to provide dependable water where natural sources may be limited. A well-placed tank can help cattle, horses and other livestock make better use of a pasture, especially during hot, dry months.

But livestock are not the only animals that find those tanks.

Birds, reptiles, small mammals and other wildlife may also come to a stock tank for a drink. In many cases, that added water source can be a benefit. The problem comes when an animal gets into the tank and cannot get back out.

Anyone who has ever found an animal dead in a stock tank knows it is an awful discovery. It does not really matter whether it is a bird, a squirrel, a raccoon, a snake or something larger. Finding it is bad enough. Having to get it out, dispose of it and then worry about the water your livestock are drinking makes it even worse.

It is one of those jobs no one wants to do, and it is also one that can often be prevented.

A slick-sided tank or trough can easily become a trap. Small animals that fall in may swim along the edge looking for a way out, but without something they can climb, they eventually tire and drown. That is a loss for wildlife, but it can also create water quality concerns for the livestock using the tank.

The good news is that the solution does not have to be complicated or expensive. A wildlife escape ramp can give trapped animals a way to climb out before they drown.

An escape ramp is exactly what it sounds like: a secure, sloped structure placed inside a tank or trough so animals can find it and climb to safety. According to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, ramps are more effective when they extend into the water, meet the inside wall of the tank and reach the bottom in case water levels drop. They should also be firmly attached so livestock cannot knock them loose.

Not every makeshift ramp works well. A floating log, a pile of rocks or a ramp that does not reach far enough into the tank may help some animals, but it can also be missed entirely. Animals often swim the perimeter of a tank looking for an exit, so a ramp that meets the wall gives them a better chance of finding their way out.

Traction matters, too. Materials such as coated metal grating, rough fiberglass, concrete, rock and mortar or durable plastic composites can help animals climb without sliding back into the water. ODWC notes that ramp slopes should be no steeper than 45 degrees so animals can climb out more easily.

One common design uses expanded metal grating secured to the rim of the tank and angled down into the water. The ramp should be sturdy enough to stay in place, rough enough to provide footing and long enough to remain useful as the water level changes. A rust-inhibiting paint or coating can also help extend the life of metal ramps.

For landowners, this is one of those small projects that can make a real difference. It does not require changing the whole watering system or giving up the benefits of a stock tank. It simply makes the tank safer for the wildlife that may use it.

It may also save you from an unpleasant chore later. There are plenty of hard jobs that come with owning livestock or managing land, but pulling a dead animal from a water tank is one most of us would gladly avoid. A simple escape ramp can help protect water quality, reduce unnecessary wildlife deaths and make a livestock watering system a little more wildlife-friendly.

In a state where agriculture and wildlife often share the same acres, small improvements matter. A stock tank can be a valuable resource for livestock and wildlife alike. Adding a way out helps make sure it stays that way.

Barry Whitworth, DVM

Area Food/Animal Quality and Health

Specialist for Eastern Oklahoma

With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma are in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods. If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock this fall. This may result in oak poisoning.

Oak (Quercus species) leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed. Obviously, acorns can be a problem in the fall and green acorns can be more toxic than mature acorns. When acorns form only a small portion of the diet, there are usually no signs of problems. However, consumption of large quantities may result in toxicity. Tannins in the acorns cause the toxicity. The most common tissue damaged by the tannins are the digestive tract and kidneys. Cattle and sheep appear to be more susceptible to toxicity than goats. Other animals such as horses, rabbits, and chickens have succumbed to the toxicity of oak poisoning as well. Interestingly, some individual animals are more tolerable of the toxins and show no ill effects when consuming acorns.

Clinical signs of oak toxicity usually appear a few days after consumption of acorns. Initially, the animals are weak, listless, emaciated, and anorexic. This is followed by ventral edema (swelling of lower parts of the body such as legs, chest, ventral abdomen), urinating large amounts of urine, abdominal pain, and constipation. The animal may pass hard mucus covered fecal material which may change to black tarry or bloody feces as the disease progresses. If the animal is not treated, kidney failure is likely.

A tentative diagnosis of acorn poisoning may be based on clinical signs and access to acorns. Blood tests that indicate kidney disease is another clue to the condition. A necroscopy with examination of tissues for characteristic lesions of the disease is the standard to confirm a diagnosis of oak toxicity.

Treatment of oak toxicity starts with removing the animals from the area where the acorns are located. Those animals displaying signs of the disease should be given fluids to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Mineral oil and/or activated charcoal may be given to reduce toxin absorption. If animals survive the initial toxicity, they may recover, but it may take several weeks for kidney function to return to normal.

As always, prevention is better than treatment. Producers should be very careful allowing livestock to graze in areas where acorns are present. Livestock should be fed plenty of hay and feed this fall to avoid over consumption of acorns. For those producers who cannot avoid grazing areas with large numbers of oak trees, feeding a grain mixture with 10% to 20% of calcium hydroxide has been successful in preventing problems with acorn poisoning.

Two thousand twenty-two has not been the best year for livestock producers. The drought has produced poor pasture conditions as well as very little hay. On top of those problems, feed costs continue to increase. The last problem a producer needs is a large number of sick cows. For those that graze an area with a large number of oak trees, prevention may be worth the cost this year. At the very least keep a close watch of your animals this fall. Producers wanting more information about oak toxicity, should consult with their local veterinarian or visit with their Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension County Agriculture Educator.

Barry Whitworth, DVM | Area Food/Animal Quality and Health Specialist for Eastern Oklahoma 

*Article originally printed in the October 2022 issue of Oklahoma Farm & Ranch.

Since most of Oklahoma experienced drought conditions and with fall fast approaching, producers with fescue pastures should closely observe their livestock for any signs of fescue toxicity. According to Mike Trammel, Pottawatomie County Ag Educator and Muti-County Agronomist, fescue toxins (ergot alkaloids) tend to increase in Kentucky-31 tall fescue pastures in the fall. Some reports indicate more problems with fescue toxins following a summer drought and limited fall rains. All of this may put Oklahoma cattle at a greater risk of fescue toxicity.

One issue that cattle experience with fescue toxins is fescue foot. Fescue foot is thought to be caused by ergot alkaloids such as ergovaline. These alkaloids are produced by endophyte fungus (Epichloë coenophiala) which is in tall fescue. Ergovaline has been proven to be a vasoconstrictor which might be responsible for fescue foot and heat intolerance also known as summer slump in cattle. Other issues that may be seen with the ergot fescue toxins are reduced milk production and reproductive issues.

Clinical signs of fescue foot appear within a few days of cattle being turned on to tall fescue pastures or it may take weeks if toxins in the pasture are low. Producers will initially observe cattle with arched back, rough hair coats, and sore feet. These symptoms are more noticeable early in the morning and with cold weather. This is followed by reddening and swelling in the area between the dewclaws and hooves. The lameness usually becomes more severe with time. If no action is taken, gangrene will result in loss of tissues distal to the coronary band and declaws. If the weather remains mild, other signs such as increase respiration rate, increase heart rate, and higher body temperature are more common.

Other causes of lameness in cattle must be differentiated from fescue foot. One simple method that will help differentiate fescue foot from footrot is to check the temperature of the foot. If the foot is cold, this is an indication that the problem is more likely fescue foot.

Since there is not a specific treatment for fescue foot, the condition must be managed. Cattle need to be observed daily for any signs of lameness or stiffness during the first few weeks on fescue pastures. This should be done early in the morning before cattle walk off the stiffness. Producers should pay close attention during cold weather, especially when rain, snow, or ice are present. Any animal showing clinical signs of fescue foot should be removed from the pasture and placed in a clean environment. The animal should be fed a ration with no fescue toxins.  

The best but most costly solution to reduce fescue toxicity is to renovate old pastures with new endophyte friendly varieties. If this option is not possible, producers might try interseeding fescue pastures with clovers or other grasses. This should dilute fescue toxins. Nitrogen fertilization may increase ergot alkaloids, so producers should avoid fertilizing fescue pastures with high amounts of nitrogen. Researchers have demonstrated that feeding a supplement while grazing fescue pastures reduces clinical symptoms. Some studies indicate a difference in susceptibility to fescue toxicity in some cattle. Selecting cattle based on genetic tolerance of fescue toxins is an option. (For more information go to www.agbotanica.com/t-snip.aspx)

With large areas in Oklahoma covered with Kentucky-31 fescue pastures, fescue foot as well as other fescue toxicities are not going away any time soon. Livestock producers will need to watch their livestock closely for any signs of fescue toxicity and manage their pastures to keep toxins as low as possible. If producers would like more information on fescue foot, they should consult their veterinarian and/or visit their local Oklahoma State University Cooperative County Extension Agriculture Educator.