On our deer lease in North Texas, the rancher found 10 dead cows. He (the rancher) thinks it is the corn from our deer feeder. We didn't think there was any way the cows could get enough corn off the ground to hurt them, but we drove to the lease, got corn samples and had it tested.

Acceptable Aflitoxin levels for "deer corn" are supposedly 400, our's tested 720. The guy that did the testing told us before he started that it was going to be high. He said ALL corn in Texas right now is over the limit because of the drought.

Any idea if a cow could actually die from/because of this 720 Aflitoxin corn?(being thrown out of a spincast feeder, not free choice)

I'm a fulltime rancher and I just don't see that happening. What kind of physical condition are the rest of the cows in?

BAD, they look like a walking pile of bones and hair.

Just what I figured, there's your answer! Don't understand why people do that!

Had my cows get into the corn before with no adverse reactions.
Had an old timer tell me if they got too much they would founder and die.
Not sure if that's a wives tale or not.

720 is awfully high. Anything north of 300 is considered bad for cattle. Did they dump over a feeder and get a large amount all at once? spin feeder shouldn't dump enough to cause problems. Rancher needs to get a vet out there pronto to do an autopsy and figure out whats up.

I've seen it once, but it takes a good amount (poundage) of infected corn. (That's the reason I use a funnel in my feeder, no build up of bad, moldy corn.) I doubt your throwing that much, 720 ppm is high.

I couldn't find my notes when I took a course at the CDC, but here is a good "short" from Auburn.

http://www.auburn.edu/~rankidl/aflatoxin.html

They would have to eat several pounds a day for a while to have that kind of effect on them. Spin feeder, I don't think so!

No, spinning 4 seconds twice a day. Guessing 1-2 lb of corn per feeding, MAX. Cows are trying to eat what the deer, turkey and coons leave behind.

After hearing about the dead cows, we called the feed store where we got the corn. Owner said he has sold over 1 million pounds of the same batch of corn and we were the first to say anything negative about it.

I don't believe the corn is at fault, just trying to get some other opinins.

Bet the cows got
A)prussic posioning from...hay or johnson grass
or
B)Oak leaf poisoning

Might have been the "missed meal cholic"!

If the cows are in really bad shape and had been off enough water for a period of 36 hours then put back onto a pasture with water they will actually kill themselves from drinking to much the kidneys cannot handle it and the cow will die.

^^^This is what we suspected after the research we did.

The water table had gotten soo low that the electric pump all but stopped pumping water into the troughs. The rancher had started hauling in fresh water 1-2 weeks before the dead cows got noticed.

Several problems here. It will take a vet to solve the mystery of why the cattle died. Not knowing anything else,all we are doing is speculating. On the other hand, if you are feeding "hot" corn to your deer, you will soon no longer be seeing deer come to your feeder. Their system can tolerate high levels without being fatal (not sure what the limit is) but once they get a dose of your corn, they will abandon you in a heartbeat. Next big problem is that high levels of aflitoxin are deadly to quail. Nuff said!!!

I have never seen or heard of corn with aflotoxin of more than 600. Those high of limits you are getting would kill turkeys and some other birds if they could eat enough of it over a period of time. If I remember right it can not be sold as wildlife corn unless it is under 200. Someone who knows for sure might say different.

I tell you who can answer you questions on the corn and the high levels are the guys at Mummes in Hondo. Call and talk with Russ or Wade they know the state regs on it and the levels that are harmful.

I agree.

I would get some pictures of the others cows, just to show the shape of the stock and if you guys get to stay on the lease put up fences aroung the feeders.

Are we talking moldy corn from water getting into a feeder? or just old corn...

What is Aflitoxin and why would it be "high" now in Texas?...

Here is an old link for you to read up on it. New varities of corn are now aflatoxin resistant from what I have been told but may not be used widely around the state at this time. Moldy or wet corn can have elevated levels of it also.
http://www.tamuk.edu/news/archive/arch98/october/aflatoxin.html

We had a real problem in my area a few years ago when a retailer marketed "deer corn" in plastic sacks without breather holes. You could see the condensation in the bags coming fom the natural moisture of the corn. It hppened during a drouthy year which stressed corn across Texas. A perfect storm!!

All corn sold as wildlife corn will be labeled with an amount of aflatoxin by the seller per the state regs. They check them regularly also. If the feed stores do not have it labeled ask them for it, if they do not have a current one then go somewhere else for your corn.

How many cows this fella have where you hunt?

Still sounds to me like neglect on behalf of the owner of the cattle.

I'm all hat and no cows, but the above is exactly why nobody should be buying their corn right out of the field. Just like everyone else is saying, those levels are way too high.