The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-07-01
LOCO DISEASE OF LIVE STOCK.

The so-called loco disease of horses
! sheep and cattle has been for many
years a source of serious loss tC
stockmen in the west, who have gen.
orally attributed it to certain weeds
eaten by the stock. Investigations by
the United States department of ag-
riculture have not only confirmed the
supposition as to the poisonous eff
fects of these plants, but have result
ed in the discovery and Identification
of barium as a definite poisonous ele-
n,ent in them. Feeding experiments
establishing the fact that the plants
are responsible for the disease were
carried on under field and corral
conditions by DR.. c. Dwight Marsh,
while the discovery of barium was
made in the laboratory by DR.. A. c.
Crawford.
The loco weeds are a class of legum-
nous plants of which the principal
ones are the purple loco weed CAS-
tragalus mollissimus) and the rattle
weed (Aragallus lamberti). One or
both Of these prevail to a greater or
less extent over an area including all
or parts of Montana, Wyoming. North
Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Ne
braska, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Arizo-
ma, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.
The characteristic symptoms of the
disease are a slow, staggering gait.
rough coat, staring, vacant look, and
emaciation. The affected animals
have Authorizations, cannot be led or
backed. show more or less lack of
muscular coordination, gradually lose
flesh, and die. The affection comes
on in a slow and cumulative tanner
and there is no possibility of animals
becoming immune by continually
eating the plants.
The proverb, "An ounce of pre-
vention is worth a pound of cure" ap-
plies to this disorder. Although good
results can often be obtained by the
treatment of locoed animals, the most
effective way of dealing with the
trouble is to keep the animals from
eating the loco plants. Wherever
practicable the weeds should be eX-
terminated from the range or pas
ture, and the best way of doing this
is simply to- cut them u This meth
cd, however, while often practicable
on land under private control, cannot
very we'll be applied to the public
range. In many cases much can be
accomplished by keeping animals
away from loco-covered ranges dur
ing the time when feed is short, as
they are much more likely to con
tract the habit at such a time. 1t may
sometimes be profitable to feed them
for a short time, in order that the
decorating habit may not be formed.
After animals have become affected
the first essential in their treatment
is to place them where they cannot
eat the loco weeds. They should be
given plenty of nutritious feed, and Sc
far as practicable feed with laxative
properties, such as green alfalfa.
Some may O under this treat.
ment without to medicine,
With most animals, however, recov-
cry is fastened by medicinal treat.
ment.
AS a result of it's experiments the
Department of Agriculture suggests
the following treatment: For cattle.
strychnin in doses of three-tewentieths
to four-twentieths of a grain daily,
administered hypordemically. For
horses, Fowler's solution of arsenic
in h~alf-ounce doses daily in the drink.
ing water or in the grain. This treat.
ment should be continued for at least
a month. To correct the constipation
which is almost universal in locoed
animals, magnesium sulphate epson
salt may be administered as a drench
in 2-ounce doses. EPSON salt may
also serve to some extent as an anti
dote to the poison produced by the
weeds. Beneficial results have also
been obtained by giving horses daily
a drench containing 2 ounces of Ep.
som salt with ten drops of dilute
sulphuric acid, and by giving cattle
~tri-weekly three to four ounces of
EPSON salt with a proportional in
crease in the quantity of dilute sui.
phuric acid.
AS the foregoing treatments are in
the experimental stage, the Bureau
of Animal Industry, Washington, d.
c., would be glad to receive reports
of results from their use.
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