The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-08-14
BY DIR. HOWARD WEIGH
'eterinarian, Montana State Colleg


"ROM this time on to early Sep
n TENDER is the dangerous time
for lupine poisoning of sheep on
the Montana range. Some poisoning
has already been reported and it is
possible that the latter part of Aug
ust will see an increase in the num-
Der of cases.
There are many species of lupines
found in Montana and neighboring
states and many, If not all, are re-
sponsible for injury to stock. The
lupines vary in height from ten inch
es to three feet. The stems grow in
clusters from a perennial root or
branch freely. In many species the
entire plant is covered with fine
hairs, giving it a grayish appearance.
The leaves are compound, the leaf
lets attaching to the leaf stock at its
extreme tip. The flowers are borne
in long lose spikes on the ends of the
branches. They are shaped like those
of the pea and are colored in varying
shades of blue and white. These
flowers appear In midsummer, most
1y in June and July, and are followed
by short, hairy pods, containing usu-
ally three to six seeds. The pods,
and especially the seeds contain most
Of the poison, the leaves and stems
being relatively harmless.
Lupines Ire plentiful throughout
the entire west. They thrive under
tally abundant on dry hillsides. Lit
tie attempt is made to eradicate them
unless it is desired to crop the land,
when cultivation promptly destroys
them.
Sheep mainly, but occasionally
and cattle are poisoned by eat
ing the seeds and seed pods of var
ious specie of lupine that are found
all over Montana. Many cases have
been observed where more than half
a band of sheep have died in a few
hours after grazing through a patch
Of lupines when the seeds were still
in the pods. Owing to the fact that
many stockmen feed lupine hay with
bad results they believe this plant
to be harmless. This Is because the
seeds usually fall out before the lu-
pines are cut, Or r so ripe that in
handling the hay the pods are shat
and the seeds fall out. Lupine
hay cut early with seeds still in the
pods will be found poisonous to all
The most noticeable symptom of
.upine poisoning is a great frenzy.
Sheep rush about in all directions
IS and all other objects. The move
nents become more violent, the ami
nal falling and struggling upon the
and dying in commissions in
ont to three hours from the
ime the first symptoms were OBJ
{
Sheep frequently will b1oat badly s
lpon lupines but this is not neces-
arily an indication of poisoning. The
is apparently from eating too !
much and will occur, under similar t
onditions, with alfalfa, clover or any I
'ther leguminous plants. Treatment I
bloating from lupines is the same !.
S in any other case of bIoat. |
1t is believed that many horses suf- q
er from lupine poisoning in a chronic '
orm, the condition being known as +
upinosis, in which gradual emacia- !;
ion, weakness, lack of endurance, |
nd finally death, follow in order. c
UGH a condition has been produced r
xperimentally by feeding seeds and 6
DDS of lupine to horses. Whether or /
OF horses are sc poisoned to any =
reat extent In the state is still open
0 question. Many chronic diseases r
UGH as swamp fever, infestation with r
be various intestinal worms, in par :
ocular the sclerostome worm, and ?
Their diseases resemble the lupin- !
sis so closely that 1t is impossible d