Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-06-15


49, Dses 800 asss 49, Kill
The Nebraska Experiment Station
La bern unable 10 far 70 discover the
reason for the occasional fatal enects
OF sorghum whom fed green. q recent
report says: III ,5 n. sysB al NJ. 8l5S
II view OF the common practice q
cutting the hrst crop Of sorghum FOR
hay and pasturing the second crop. y
Is not dificult to understand the rea--S
son for the prevailing impression re-
garding the injurious effect OF the see.
ond growth. It 10 very likely that 4
the unmatured first growth were fed
as freely as Is the second. the numDes
OF cattle affected would be more nearly
the same in each case. B j. III 5t 4.
Beyond doubt the symptoms devel-'
oped IN all the cases cited indicate the
action OF some sort Of poison. The
sudden and violent death, the lesions
produced, and the post-mortem symp-
toms, all seem to point to one cause
poison. Yet, in the analysis made. no
poison was found, and so far as could
be ascertained no. chemist has ever
found an appreciable quantity Of
poison in any sorghums. 1t is believed
that the suddenness of attack In SUCH
cases does not necessarily preclude
other explanations than that OF
poisoning. An animal may be ct times
in such condition physically that
wholesome substances substances
that are not Of themselves poisonous
will have, when eaten. toxic action
or even cause death. Prof. Connell
says regarding second growth cane,
"in every case coming under my OPP
servation, death has occurred when
the cows stomach was unaccustomeo
to such food. A small amount OF this
crop swallowed quickly into the
paunch may produce a vast quantity OK
expansive gas, causing death. An
other authority, Prof. Y. +. Chesnut.
states that 1.-THE qualifications involves
in definition Of a poisonous plant
are numerous. It may suffice TO say
that death in some cases IS attribute
BILE not to any poison which the plant
contains but to immoderate or incau-
tiOus~ eating or to mechanical injury. s
Before any decisive conclusion can
be drawn in regard to this trouble
some typical case must. be studied IN
all it's phases. Besides studying the
plant microscopically and chemically.
it will be necessary TO consider the
animals more carefully. Their condi-
ton must be noted, the various fooos
that have been supplied must be SUD
jected to the closest scrutiny and the
ante-mortem as well as the post
symptoms must be observed
and recorded.
1t must be admitted that positive
proof is still lacking regarding the
cause Of the disease occasionally IN
duced by sorghum plants. Negative re-
suits Of an analysis are usually not
but in this case they are
at least quite conclusive. In view OK
the analyses and Of the collateral evil
dence given, it seems certain that the
toxic effect OF this plant which mani
tests itself at times is not due to q
chemical poison inherent in the plant
and Is not peculiar to the second
growth alone. This last statement 10
OF special Importance. Il Is In direct
contradiction to the prevailing popu-
lar opinion, but all the facts at hanc
sustain the conclusion. The proof OF
this once accepted and the prejudice
against the second growth thereby re-
moved, will result, it Is believed. IN .
greatly increased use Of this valuable
forage crop. The greater the number
of cases studied the more evident It
becomes that this is a matter governed
entirely by local conditions and that
the safety and health Of the herd may
be controlled to large measure Dy
the herder himself. a