The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1906-05-26
POISONOUS WEEDS
Results Of Work Done Last Year Near
huso-coneIusions and
Suggestions.

Results Of work Done Last wear wear
huse-coneIusions and
Suggestions.
(By George II. Glover. Veterinarian of
the Colorado Agricultural Expert
ment Station.)
Satisfactory arrangements were
made in April for two pastures. one,
half mile south Of Hugo. In which to
carry on the work during the season.
We were especially fortunate In secur-
ing these pastures In such close prox,
unity to the railroad and = good town.
and further In this respect, the one be,
ing by few hours' work, made entirely
free from loco weeds and furnishing
most excellent pasture on the creek
bottom. The other. adjoining It was ~
badly infested with white loco a any
we had seen, and purple loco was in
abundance. On the ranch was cot,
tage which conveniently furnished DR..
Marsh with living rooms and labora-
tory. On May 5th. the last Of the live
stock was shipped to Hugo.
Six yearlings and six two-year-old
steers were purchased at the stock
yards In Denver. they having come
ION farms free from loco weeds.
Seven horses were also purchased at
the stock yards and came from q nom
1ocoed district in Utah. Eight horses
were secured at Fort Collins. seven
coming from pasture four miles
west of town and one from pasture
south OF town. These animals were all
with the exception OF the one from south
Of Fort Collins. IN very poor condition.
The horses and cattle, upon arrival
at Hugo. were divided as nearly equally
as possible into two lots. Six steers
tthree yearlings and three twO-year-
olds) with seven horses tone having
died) were placed In the lOcOed pas
ture, and the remainder In the nom
lOcOed pasture to serve az q check.
The animals that were placed In the
pasture free from loco weeds have con-
tinued to thrive throughout the season,
and are In good condition now. Disease
and misfortune have been the lot OF
the others until now they are all gone.
This, 1t seems, is the experience OF
ranchers who try raising cattle. horses
or sheep and use ranges infested with
the loco weed. They do not all be-
come locoed, but succumb to different
maladies, which animals In a thriving
condition would otherwise easily es-
cape.
AS the investigation IL not COM
pleted, do not feel warranted In draw
ing any conclusions, or expressing my
opinion regarding the probable out
come of any phase Of the loco problem
The work has Progressed much
more satisfactorily than we had hoped
for 1t has unfolded new facts and con-
ditions at every step which have been
wrought with great interest. and we
feel encouraged that In the end, A.
least, some of the hidden mysteries
surrounding this perplexing problem
may be unraveled.
The results Of the Investigations 10
far have attracted our attention to the
following:
/. Locoism Is a specific condition
and IL associated with at least one spe-
cies Of plant, Astragallus mollisimus.
2. Horses and cattle prefer grass
and eat but sparingly Of the weed n
long as grass can be had In quantity to
satisfy hunger.
8. The white loco plant has an ex.
tremely low nutritive value.
4. There are no uniform pathOgenic
LESSONS, post morten or anti-mortem.
s. Parasites are found in no greater
quantity than In other emactated ami;
mails. No unusual parasite has been
found and no one parasite Ia uni'
formly present.
4. The theories as to clot Of blood
or serum in the fourth yentricle OF the
brain: sand in the stomach; an excess
of aracnoid nuid, have no foundation.
in fact. according to the results Of au-
| topsies held up to date.
Z. I believe q qualitative chemical
analysis Of the plant and OF the con
tents OF the stomach containing loco
weeds Is Of the greatest importance.
8. There is no evidence as yet that
stock will eat of loco weeds when grass
is plentiful.
8. Several parasites live upon the
loco weeds and in some places have de-
vastated large areas of the plant.
10. Considering the immense loss to
the live stock industry from the raw
ages of these plants the economic pos
sibility Of exterminating them by the
grubbing hoe Is worthy of serious con-
sideration.
There can be no question but that
several species Of larkspur growing ma
tive in the mountainous districts OF
Colorado are a greater source Of loss to
the stockmen than all other weeds com.
bined, loco weeds alone excepted.
1t has been estimated by DR.. e. ".
Wilcox of Montana that the loss from
poisonous plants in that state Is
greater than from all other causes and
diseases taken together and not far
from 100000 annually.
In Colorado we have at present no
statistics whereby we can estimate with
any degree of accuracy the aggregate
mortality. Judging, however, from the
loss reported in other states and re-
ports received at this once from most
every section of this state, feel conf
dent that $4,000 from larkspur alone
is q conservative estimate.
There are four species Of larkspur
found growing abundantly in the mid
die and western part OF the state and
moo fo,,vI ann DIV In the