Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-08-11
DAMP ALFALFA
CAUSES BLOAT
Robert Lyle Loses More Sheep. Max
Hinrichs Tells How to Prevent
Fatal Results.

Robert Lyle, the we'll known farm
er and sheepman living on Union
| Flat, southwest of Pullman. lost
some more sheep recently from bloat.
caused by eating alfalfa when 1t was
damp. The recent rains caused the
alfalfa to grow rapidly and the new.
young plants are full of juice. 1t is at
this period and under such conditions
that stock is more apt to bloat from
eating this plant and Mr. Lyle lost a
number of valuable sheep, the Sec
ond to die from this cause this sum-
mer.
The problem of preventing bloat
caused by eating alfalfa or red clover
is one which has caused much study
among farmers. stockmen and exper-
iment station faculty for years. In
irrigated districts the danger is great
err than in non-irrigated alfalfa fields,
but no district where alfalfa la grown
Is exempt from the danger. Stock
ing red clover and even tumble weed
which grows In the summer-fallowed
fields, but alfalfa is the most produc-
tive of bloat of any vegetation known
to man
j. ). klemgard, the farmer banker
stockman, who is regarded as an au-
all Irl
livestock, says that he has had little
trouble with stock bloating when they
were pastured on field of alfalfa and
bronze grass mixed. Max Hinrichs
gives the same testimonial In favor of
mixing these grasses for pasture. e.
w. Downen contends that straw
stack in an alfalfa pasture is a good
preventive of bloat, as cattle will
go to the strawstack and eat the old
straw, when they begin to bloat and
this acts as an antidote. Salt placed
in the pasture where the stock can
reach 1t is said to be another proven
tative or antidote for bloat. Stock sell
dom bloats from eating alfalfa In the
dry season. 1t is only when there Is
much moisture either on or In the
plant, and especially after a rain or
heavy dew, that stock suffer from
bloating when pastured on this grass.
Max Hinrichs tells of a method he
has used successfully to prevent cat
tie from dying when bloated with al
falfa. 1t is simple and expedient and
requires no talent nor scientific
knowledge to put into practice. When
IA COW bloats from eating alfalfa Mr..
Hinrichs catches her and ties a large
stick in her mouth, using a rope to
go over her head, back of the horns,
and tied to each end of the stick,
which he says should be as large as
mans arm and be held we'll up
in the mouth of the COW or other ami
NAL affected. The animal chews con-
being held open allows the gas to es-
cape from the stomach and the bloat
soon disappears, leaving no disas-
trous results. Mr.. Hinrichs says he
has never known this remedy to fail,
II applied promptly.
]. S. Klemgard, the foundation of
whose fortune was largely laid by
raising purebred cattle and hogs,
said IF was certain of preventa-
tive of bloat | would SOW half of my
ranch to alfalfa and engage in raising
cattle. / believe there is a big profit
in it but the fear of loss by bloating
keeps me from making the venture"
The blessing of stockmen. If not
fortune, awaits a man who will dis
cover an effectual remedy or pre-
tentative of bloat from alfalfa and
this discovery will go a long way to-
ward changing the products of this
section from grain to livestock.