SILAGE PRESERVATION 15 



may be so small as to be overlooked and yet be dangerous. 

 Especially is that true of hay coming from low, marshy 

 ground ; though the mold in it may not be seen at first glance, 

 there may be enough of it to produce poisoning and death. 



"Moldy corn has been responsible for several outbreaks 

 of forage poisoning. Ears that have been attacked by the 

 corn ear worm are particularly liable to be moldy. 



"Symptoms. Two forms of the disease are most common, 

 the acute and sub-acute. 



' 'In acute forage poisoning loss of appetite and lack of 

 thirst, associated with depression and lack of spirit are usu- 

 ally the first symptoms. Following this usually come un- 

 steadiness of gait and inability to control the hind quarters, 

 which become worse until the animal either lies down or 

 falls and is unable to rise. At the same time there is in prac- 

 tically all cases a paralysis of the muscles of the throat and 

 cheeks as a result of which there is slobbering, due to inability 

 to swallow, and a flabby condition of the cheeks, which appear 

 swollen and pouched. After the animal is unable to rise it 

 will sometimes lie quietly for hours, and sometimes it will 

 struggle or show spasms at frequent intervals. In acute 

 cases there is usually profuse sweating and many times a 

 peculiar staring appearance of the eyes. The temperature 

 is normal or frequently below normal, which is contrary to 

 the fact in contagious diseases. The breathing is usually 

 irregular and jerky. The acute cases invariably die after 

 a course of 12 to 72 hours and are usually the first animals 

 to be affected after moldy food is eaten. 



"In sub-acute cases the symptoms are similar to those in 

 acute cases but they do not come on so suddenly and are less 

 violent. The sub-acute cases occur among animals that 

 have eaten less of the poisonous food and they are the last 

 to show symptoms. Dullness and difficulty in swallowing, 



