The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-02-12

prepared by the United states Depart
ment of Agriculture)
Range live stock in large areas Of
the western states is constantly sub
ject to poisoning by loco weeds which,
If eaten freely, cause symptoms of
madness or insanity, and, eventually,
death. The danger is especially great
when green grass is short and the ami
mails are obliged to rely on weeds and
bushes for food. To. assist stockme.l
in preventing losses from loco poison
ing, investigations have been made to
combat the danger and numerous facts
Of value have been obtained.
There are three poisonous locOes-
purple loco, white loco and the blue
loco or 'rattleweed" of Arizona and
New Mexico.
Different Loco Weeds.
The purple loco weed Is q perennial
which grows In patches on adobe soils,
attaining a height Of two feet, and gen
orally occupying space Of about two
feet in diameter. Its flowers are rather
.inconspicuous, being deep purple In
color. It Is sometimes called ~woolly''
loco, because it, leaflets are densely
covered with hairs. It occurs as far
north as South Dakota, as far south
as Mexico, as far west as Arizona,
while its eastern limit IL central Kan.
sas and Nebraska.
The white loco, familiar in Wyoming
Montana and Colorado. is called the
"stemless loco" because it has no true
stem. Its habitat is from Alaska to
MEXICO, as far east as central Mime.
sofa. and as far west as central Utah
and Arizona. 1t grows abundantly on
sandy soils. and in parts Of Colorado
Wyoming and Montana at this weeds
blossoming time large areas are as
white az though covered with snow.
The blue loco Of Arizona, New Mexi.
co. and parts Of Colorado, Utah, and
California, grows abundantly, appear.
ing in some localities early in Febru.
ary and maturing and drying up early
In the summer. This plant is poison.
ous to cattle and sheep, but IL espe-
cially Injurious to horses. nisconcep'
tlon has confused with the locoes sew
eral ~isgumlnous plants which are
either harmless or valuable as forage
crops. However: there are only three
true loco varieties.
Purple Loco Kills Horses.
The purple loco weed Is rarely in
furious to cattle, but It IL very harm.
full to horses. However, the horses
will not eat this weed unless forced to
it to prevent starvation. On the other
hand, horses, cattle and sheep will eat
white loco weed readily, particularly
when grass is scarce. During the
spring before the grass starts Where
the white loco weed is abundant, prac-
tically all animals eat some Of It. When
grass Is plentiful later on most animals
taboo the loco, but some Of them have
acquired taste for the weed and
gradually eat more and more Of It
Finally they become confirmed addicts
to the loco habit, which ultimately re-
suits in their death. Sheep, also, are
poisoned in much the same way as
horses and cattle, the effect Of the drug
being particularly noticeable on lambs.
as frequently they die within two
weeks after they begin to eat the
weed, and without any marked loss Of
flesh. Under similar conditions Of
short feed the blue loco weed is eaten
In<o L., %ha ~nirtor nonouoo oPt1ka rrroo =
poisonous effect on horses great dam
age may be done In Z very short time,
more quickly than In the case Of the
other loco plants.
As q rule the native breeds" Of live
stock are much less likely to be locoed
than imported animals not familiar
with the plants, and which in many
cases do not have the habit Of
.rustling," so that they are inclined 70
eat the feed which is most easily OBJ
tanned. Generally speaking, the finer
breeds Of cattle and horses are more
likely to be loped than the poorer
breeds. The same thing applies to
sheep, 1t beng particularly noticeable
that the black faces are much more
susceptible than are the MerinOs.
Symptoms Of Loco Poisoning. /,
Loco poisoning in horses is first IN
dicated by a change in the general
condition Of the animal, q hishspirited
horse becoming dull, and later on de-
veloping irregularity II it, gait and
mode Of eating. The horse dram it,