Episode 307 - What is Causing All of Our Cow Abortions - UMN Extension's The Moos Room

Abstract

Brad records solo during a busy fair season. But behind the scenes at the research center, a troubling issue emerged this summer: a cluster of abortions isolated to a 50–60 cow organic herd.After ruling out other groups, Brad suspected moldy feed. Testing revealed high mold counts—especially Fusarium, which produces mycotoxins linked to infertility and abortions. The herd had been eating first-crop hay baled a bit too wet, later found to be heating and moldy.Aborted fetuses sent to diagnostic labs showed mixed results: one indicated Neospora caninum (a protozoan parasite spread by dogs or coyotes), another pointed to bacterial placentitis likely linked to moldy feed. Despite the confusion, abortions dropped sharply after the moldy hay was removed from the diet, strengthening Brad’s belief that feed quality was the main culprit.To prevent future issues, the team pulled suspect hay from use, began feeding a mycotoxin binder, and emphasized the importance—and challenge—of making mold-free feed in a wet year.After almost a month without new cases in the affected herd, Brad is cautiously optimistic. His takeaway: good feed management is critical, even for research herds, and sometimes the simplest solution—removing bad feed—makes the biggest difference.