NPN Toxicosis in Ruminants

Dr. A. Morrie Craig holds a doctor of philosophy in biophysics and is a research toxicologist who spent four decades as a professor of toxicology at Oregon State University. He also served as director of his institute’s endophyte lab. While teaching students in toxicology, Dr A. Morrie Craig concurrently oversaw research activities at OSU on plant toxicosis.

Livestock develop non-protein nitrogen (NPN) toxicosis when they ingest non-protein nitrogen-containing food or materials. In healthy animals, moderate levels of non-protein nitrogen are converted by ruminate microbes to ammonia, which is further combined with carbohydrates via metabolism to produce amino acids (protein building blocks). However, if the ruminal microorganisms (bacteria in the rumen that aid partial digestion of food) are not present in sufficient amounts to process all the ammonia into protein, the concentration of ammonia in the rumen will increase to dangerous levels.

Since ammonia is moderately alkaline, a large concentration can raise the pH of the rumen to above 7.5. The rumen is one of the four compartment stomachs of a ruminant animal where fermentation (initial digestion of ingested food in the absence of oxygen) occurs. High rumen pH hinders digestion because many useful microbes cannot survive in this condition.

Symptoms of NPN toxicosis include respiratory distress, abdominal pain, muscle tremors, and recumbency. Many animals die from this condition. Post-mortem diagnosis will reveal an abnormal rumen pH. The best way to save other animals in a location where animals are experiencing these symptoms is to completely remove the NPN sources. Typical sources are dry supplements and dry granular urea or ammonium-containing fertilizers.

Clinical Veterinary Toxicologists Do?

 

A respected doctor, researcher and author, Dr. A. Morrie Craig is a former veterinary professor and a member of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association. He obtained a PhD in biophysics, and has conducted postdoctoral research at the California Institute of Technology and the University of Oregon, Eugene. During his 40-year tenure, A. Morrie Craig specialized in toxicology, and worked in a lab that tested feed samples for farms throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Veterinary toxicology is an area of veterinary science that focuses on the various natural and synthetic toxins that can affect pets, wildlife, and farm animals. This discipline is crucial in a variety of industries, such as research, food safety, and chemical risk assessment in both the private and public sectors. Clinical toxicologists are those who work specifically in clinical research lab settings.

The major duties of a clinical toxicologist is to evaluate animals who are brought to the lab for poisoning tests. They have to diagnose what substance the animal has come in contact with, often narrowing down the possibilities by the location of exposure, and performing sample tests. Once they have identified the toxins, they prescribe antidotes and management solutions.

Another important role is to perform autopsies along with the pathologist on animals that may have died from poison. This is particularly important for domestic animals, like pets and livestock, since other creatures in the same environment may be at risk. Once toxicologists identify the cause of death, the farm or household in question can take steps to prevent other animals from being harmed.

Oregon Animal Hall of Fame Honours

A doctor of biophysics, A. Morrie Craig has over four decades of experience studying veterinary toxicology. He and his research team analyze samples from bulk animal feed for safety, as well as samples that vets from around the US send in to check for disease-causing toxins. Dr. A. Morrie Craig is also a lifetime member of the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association.

In 2020, the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) and the Animal Health Foundation of Oregon (AHFO) inducted Auggie the yellow Labrador into their Animal Hall of Fame. The accolade commemorates animals who have demonstrated courage, commitment, and loyalty through selfless acts. In Auggie’s case, the air-scent search-and-rescue dog rescued a woman who had gone missing during a mushroom-picking trek in Oregon’s Sunset Bay State Park. A trained human remains detector as well as a search-and-rescue animal, the awardee found the 59-year old forager alive and safe, about two miles from the park.

Auggie is the latest of a line of animals who have joined the Hall of Fame for their public service since 1988. He is in the Professional category, for trained service animals. Other categories are Heroes and Companions; inductees over the years have included horses, cats, other dogs, an equine therapy team, and a llama.

Application Process for Fulbright

A retired professor, Dr. A. Morrie Craig specialized in veterinary toxicology and biophysics. He is also an accomplished academic author, with more than 200 peer-reviewed papers to his name. During his work as a doctor and an educator, Dr. A. Morrie Craig also participated in the Fulbright Specialist Program with Egypt.

Under the umbrella of the Fulbright Program, which fosters intercultural education, the Fulbright Specialist Program gives US professionals opportunities to collaborate on academic projects with international experts in their field. Recipients of the Fulbright grants travel to different institutions across the world, working on two to six-week-long initiatives. One of the prerequisites for grant applicants is to be on the Fulbright specialist roster; getting on the roster is a four-step process.

First, prospective scholars must submit an online application form. Alongside personal and professional details, they need to include the contact details of three professional references. Next, the references receive an email to fill out an online reference form, verifying the information the applicant has provided.

The third step involves a review of the application by the Peer Review Panel. The panel evaluates applicants based on professional qualifications, suitability for specialist grant activity, cross-cultural communication skills and adaptability, the overall benefit to stakeholders, and personal qualities. Finally, applicants will receive an email notification accepting them into or rejecting them from the Fulbright Specialist Roster. In the event of a rejection, however, a professional can reapply once they have reviewed and adapted their eligibility requirements.