The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-15

NMTErreu DIV n y a - Journalism students
especially for The Associated Press)
- Manhattan, Kan, June 15.-Altho
losses OF livestock from poisonous
plants are not general in Kansas, they
have at times been serious. especially
in the western part OF the state, &C
cording to r. L Hensel. pasture man
agement specialist of the Kansas State
Agricultural college Only three weeds
ara industrfally important because or
their poisonous qualities, he pointed
out These are. plains larkspur, the
loco weed, and the whorled milkweed-
Plains larkspur is white lowered
and does not ordinarily grow in great
abundance Some years. however, it
occurs in sufficient numbers TO pro-
duce losses On the open range,
horses do not eat a considerably guam
tity- Sheep can Craze on the plants
without any harm. In fact, they can
eat large quantities with apparent
benefit.
One OF the first symptoms of lark
spur poisoning is the falling of the
animal This occurs most often while
the cattle are being driven especially
n they are started up suddenly or hur
ried- In light cases the animal holds
its head erect and soon gets upon its
feet only TO fall again shortly In
more severe cases. the animal is un-
able 10 rise and is nauseated. Death
often results In light cases the ami
NAL may be turned so that the head
will be higher than the rest of the
body. Often it can rise and go after
a few minutes. but if il is hurried the
results are usually fatal II bloatinS
occurs, the animal should be paunched
but bleeding has been found not to be
beneficial Subcutaneous injections OF
A formula give by the United States
department Of agriculture will usually
save the animal
Another weed that causes extensive
losses is the loco weed Three varie-
a. 5+f,Twr q
purple or woolly loco, is a perennial
which grows in patches on adobe soils
1t is found s far north as South Da-
kota. as far south as Mexico, as far
west as parts of Arizona and as far
east central Kansas The white
loco is more widely distributed being
found from Alaska to Mexico and as
far east central Minnesota and as
far west as central Utah and Arizona
The blue loco, another variety, does
not grow in Kansas.
It has been shown that the loco is
rarely injurious TO cattle, and that
losses are limited almost entirely to
horses When horses are forced by
contract the habit and continue to
feed upon it, with fatal results Ma
tive breeds are less susceptible TO the
poison than are imported animals
Horses affected by loco poisoning be
come somewhat dull. are irregular in
gait and apparently lose normal mus
cular control. In the latter stages OF
the disease, the animal loses flesh, its
coat becomes rough and it eventually
ceases TO eat and dies
Careful handling of stock will do
much toward preventing loco poison
ing. The feeding of hay during times
when feed is short will prevent many
animals from contracting the habit of
eating the weed Loco weeds can be
killed by cutting them off below the
crown of buds. as they do not sprout
from the roots.
IL IS only within the last twelve or
fifteen years that the whorled milk
weed has been thought of as the cause
OF losses of livestock. This weed is
perennial and grows from a rootstock
which creeps horizontally under
ground. This makes II a very hard
weed TO deal with. Most of the cases
OF poisoning occur from eating the |
dried plants in the fall or winter or
from hay. Sheep are affected more |
than other animals. cattle are next.
In general. losses of livestock by |
poisonous plants have been found to |
be the result of a lack of suitable |
forage