The Glenwood post., 1909-07-17
THE LOCO DISEASE OF LIVE
STOCK IN THE WEST

The so-called loco disease of horses,
sheep, and cattle has been for manv
years source of serious loss to stock
men in the West, who have generally
attributed it to certain weeds eaten by
the stock. Investigations by the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture have not only confirmed the sup
position as to the poisonous effect of
these plants, but have resulted in the
discovery and identification of barium
as a definite poisonous element in them
Feeding experiments establishing the
fact that the plants are responsible for
the disease were carried on under field
Marsh, while the discovery of barium
was made in the laboratory by DR.. A.
c. Crawford.
The loco weeds are a class of leg
luminous plants of which the principal
one are the purple loco weed (Astra-
galus mollissimus) and the rattle-weed
tAragallms lamberti) One or both Of
these prevail to greater or less extent
over an area including all or parts of
Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska,
Mexico, and Oklahoma
The characteristic SYMPTOMS of the
5iSaaSn Glow OF tapunrinu If
rough coat, staring, vacant look, and
emaciation. The affected animals have
hallucinations, can not be led or back
ed, show more or less lack of muscd-
lar coordination, gradually lose flesh,
and die The affection comes on in n
slow and cumulative manner, and there
is no possibility of animals becoming
immune by continually eating the
plants.
The proverb CAN ounce of preven
tion is worth pound of cure' applies
suits can often be obtained by the
treatment of locoed animals. the most
effective way of dealing with the trou-
BILE is to keep animals from eating the
loco plants. Wherever practicable the
weeds should be exterminated from
the range or pasture, and the best way
of doing this is simply to cut them out.
This method, however, while often prac-
ticable on land under private control,
can not very well be applied to the
public range. In many cases much
can be accomplished by keeping ami
mails from lOco-covered ranges during
the time when feed is short, as they
are much more likely to contract the
habit at such time. 1t may some
times be profitable to feed them for
short time, in order that the loco-eat-
ing habit may not be formed.
After animals have become affected
the first essential in their treatment is
to place them where they can not eat
the loco weeds. They should be given
plenty of nutritious feed, and so far
as practicable feed with laxative pro-
perties, such as green alfalfa. Some
NAV recover under this treatment with
out recourse to medicine. With most
animals, however, recovery is hastened
by medicinal treatment.
AS a result of its experiments the
Department of Agriculture suggests
the following treatment For cattle
strvchnine in doses of three e-twentieths
to four twentieths of grain daily, ad
ministered hypcdermically. For horses,
Fowler's solution of arsenic in half
onnce doses daily in the drinkug
water or in the grain. This treatment
should De continued for at east
n,nth. To correct the ccnstipatiol
which is almos. universal in lccocd
ANIMALS, magnesium sulphate Epson
salt) may be administered as drench
in 2-ounce doses. EPSON salt may also
serve to some extent as an antidote TO
the poison produced by the weeds
Rene6cial results have also been OBJ
tanned by giving horses daily dreneh
containing ounces of EPSON salt with
10 drops of dilute sulphuric acid an
by giving cattle triweekly to i
ounces of Epson salt with proper
tional increase in the quantity of a.
lute sulphuric acid.
As the foregoing treatments are IN
the experimental stage, the Bureau OF
Animal Industry, Washington, d. u
would be glad to receive reports OF re-
suits from their use.