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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 49(8)

Survival of the rumen bacterium Synergistes jonesii in a herd of Droughtmaster cattle in north Queensland

R. J. Jones A B , D. B. Coates A and B. Palmer A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Private Mailbag, PO Aitkenvale, Townsville, Qld 4814, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: r8rjones@aapt.net.au

Animal Production Science 49(8) 643-645 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08274
Submitted: 11 November 2008  Accepted: 8 April 2009   Published: 27 July 2009

Abstract

Droughtmaster steers from the CSIRO Research Station at Lansdown, 50 km south of Townsville, Queensland, were assessed at slaughter for indications of leucaena toxicity and the presence of the 3,4 dihydroxypyridine (DHP)-degrading bacterium Synergistes jonesii. This bacterium had been introduced to the herd 25 years earlier. Absence of clinical signs of ulceration of the oesophagus, absence of DHP in the urine, the presence of normal thyroid glands and the ability of rumen fluid to degrade high levels of mimosine from leucaena shoot tips in vitro all confirmed that these steers had an active bacterial culture capable of degrading mimosine and its degradation products 3,4 and 2,3 DHP. Steers had been away from the Research Station and away from leucaena pastures for long periods but had clearly not lost the bacteria or if they had, they had regained them on return to leucaena pastures on Lansdown. It is postulated that the bacteria may spread via the faeces in cattle yards and remain in the rumen for long periods, even at low levels, in the absence of leucaena in the diet. Reasons other than the effectiveness of the bacterium should be explored to explain the failure of cattle in some Queensland herds to fully degrade 3,4 and 2,3 DHP.


Acknowledgements

We thank Mr Mike Nicholas and Mr Bruce Rutherford, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, for the background data on the Lansdown cattle and arrangements for slaughter at the meat works; Mr Kevin Riley and Mr Ray Klosterman and the staff on the slaughter floor at Swift Australia Pty Ltd, for their unstinting assistance in obtaining the necessary samples at the abattoir and Dr Iain Gordon O-I-C, CSIRO Davies Laboratory, Townsville, for use of the facilities at the Laboratory.


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