– Dean Kreager, Licking County Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator
Downed cherry trees pose a health risk for livestock.
Many people are aware of the danger when grazing animals consume wilted leaves from black cherry trees. These leaves contain prussic acid which can result in cyanide poisoning. If this sounds familiar, it is also the compound that causes toxicity issues with some warm season annuals after a frost.
Signs of toxicity can set in within 15 minutes of ingesting wilted leaves. You may notice excess salivation, labored breathing, and convulsions. Symptoms set in quickly so often you may find dead animals without seeing signs. The lethal dose for cattle has been reported as 1.2 to 4.8 pounds of wilted black cherry leaves for a 1,200-pound cow and .18 to .72 pounds for a 180-pound sheep.
Wilted leaves are toxic to grazing animals.
There are several factors that determine the toxicity level of the leaves including season, dry and wet conditions, and how long the leaves have been wilting. The toxicity of leaves decreases as the leaves dry. Once they are completely dry, risk from consumption is greatly reduced.
Black cherry trees are relatively fast growing in fence rows and forest edges. This results in upper limbs that are weaker than many slower growing trees. In addition, it is a shallow rooted tree, potentially leading to toppling in windstorms. It is also susceptible to internal decay, leading to breaking off in storms.
Check for downed cherry trees first thing after a storm. I have had two to clean up this summer already.
To learn more about the toxicity issues of black cherry see this previous article from 2010. https://u.osu.edu/beef/2010/06/09/summer-storms-and-wild-cherry-trees/