4 CONTROL BULLETIN NO. 181 



The samples of Dried Apple Pomace were shipped into Massachusetts by the 

 Clyde Mining Corp., Clyde, New York. This company also shipped in roughage 

 supplement, "Clyde R.S.IO," which contained 5 parts per million DDT. One of 

 the ingredients of this supplement was Dried Apple Pomace. This supplement also 

 was considered unfit for feeding to dairy cattle. The sale of these products was 

 stopped. 



Because of the information obtained on the Apple Pomace samples, a number 

 of Citrus Pulp samples were tested for DDT, Methoxychlor, lead, and arsenic. 

 Only insignificant amounts of lead were found. There was no trace of the other 

 insecticides mentioned. 



Poison Cases 



Most of the poison cases referred to the Massachusetts Feed Control Service 

 are due to lead, either lead paint or lead arsenate. A few cases of poisoning from 

 lead solder and arsenic from weed killer have been found. 



Apparently farmers do not regard these materials with the respect they deserve 

 so far as animal health is concerned. 



It should be stressed again and again that metallic poisons, such as lead, arn 

 not destroyed by fire. 



A recent case illustrates this; An old shack in a pasture burned down. Shortly 

 afterwards two animals died. A white powder, thought to be lime, was found in 

 the ashes. The stomach contents of one animal were sent in for anaylsis, and were 

 found to contain lead and arsenic far in excess of 100 parts per million. The white 

 powder that survived the fire was lead arsenate. 



In spite of the fact that animals lick lead paint and die, barns and board fences 

 continue to be painted with paints containing lead. A remarkably small amount 

 of lead paint will cause death. Here again, if a building painted with lead paint 

 burns down, the lead will remain in the ashes and will be a source of danger inde- 

 finitely to any animal having access to the ashes. 



Dumps are another danger spot. Old paint pails, almost empty lead arsenate 

 bags, etc. should never be discarded in an area accessible to livestock. The only 

 safe way to get rid of metallic poisons is to bury them in a deep hole. 



An unusual poisoning case occurred last fall ! Contrary to the advice of exten- 

 sion workers, county agents, etc., a farmer turned a herd of cows into a sweet 

 com field. Within several hours seven cows were dead. Sweet corn is usually sprayed 

 heavily with DDT, if cows eat the corn, DDT appears in their milk, although the 

 animals usually are not seriously affected. In this case, however, death came too 

 suddenly to be a case of DDT poisoning. Upon analysis, large amounts of nitrates 

 were found in the stomach contents and in the stalks of sweet corn. Death was 

 attributed to nitrate poisoning. 



As a matter of public health, cows should never be fed sweet corn forage that 

 has been sprayed with DDT. No one likes the thought of drinking milk containing 

 DDT with the attendant hazard to human health, especially to that of young 

 children. 



