Are cherries poisonous to livestock?

[Easton]

A farmer reports that his lambs have been poisoned by leaves from a fruiting cherry in his field. Is this possible and if so what is the cause?

[Stubby]

A farmer reports that his lambs have been poisoned by leaves from a fruiting cherry in his field. Is this possible and if so what is the cause?

 

Not enough ice cream .

[Eddy_t]

A farmer reports that his lambs have been poisoned by leaves from a fruiting cherry in his field. Is this possible and if so what is the cause?

 

 

Cyanide

[farmer rod]

A farmer reports that his lambs have been poisoned by leaves from a fruiting cherry in his field. Is this possible and if so what is the cause?

 

Do we have any idea which month this occurred in?

[woodyguy]

I suspect that we are getting confusion from across the atlantic. I've not heard anything about Prunus avium (our native cherry and the basis of fruitbearing cherries) being toxic. The american cherry however is an evergreen so like cherry laurel will produce cyanide. They also have problems with a non native caterpillar whose faeces are toxic to sheep and horses. Neither a UK problem. Or have I missed something?

[s.varty]

A farm I do a bit of work for have a paddock with a couple of cherry trees in it and they put lambs in it every year , no fatalaties yet.

[Goaty]

I recall the leaves of cherries (avium) in suffcient quantities does have a toxic effect. Its to do with the sap I think. Its a vague memory from reading a goat keeping book decades ago.

My goats never had a problem with eating cherry leaves but they didnt get a truckload.

[spiral]

Yep cherries are poisonous, the leaves & pips especially. {A couple of crushed pips can kill a child.]

 

Cherry Laurels even worse...

 

Spiral

[woodyguy]

"A couple of crushed pips can kill a child"

Don't be ridiculous! What is your evidence for that fanciful statement???

The lethal dose for a young child is over 300 stones (if they could absorb all of the cyanide). How many of us as children have swallowed dozens of cherry stones when eating them and are here to tell the tale?

[s.varty]

"A couple of crushed pips can kill a child"

Don't be ridiculous! What is your evidence for that fanciful statement???

The lethal dose for a young child is over 300 stones (if they could absorb all of the cyanide). How many of us as children have swallowed dozens of cherry stones when eating them and are here to tell the tale?

 

Ignorant of any facts , but I have to agree with your statement. If cherry leaves/pips were that poisonous we would all be well aware of it.