612 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



If the characteristic symptoms of poisoning from this plant have 

 already appeared, chloral hydrate or morphine should be adminis- 

 tered at once. If it is believed that a considerable quantity of the 

 plant still remains in the stomach unabsorbed, a drench of potassium 

 permanganate should be administered in order to destroy iis poison- 

 ous property. A few cases are reported where this plant seemed to 

 cause poisoning in hay. In general, it is advisable to remove speci- 

 mens of water hemlock from hay before feeding. Since this plant 

 ordinarily has a limited distribution in any locality, it might easily 

 be eradicated by digging, especially along streams and ponds where 

 sheep and other animals are driven for water. 



White Loco'Weed (Aragallus spicatus) . This is an erect tufted 

 perennial, 4 to 18 inches high, with pinnately divided leaves and 

 spikes of white or cream-colored flowers, shaped like those of the pea. 

 The pod is one-celled, and when shaken produces a rattling sound, 

 which gives the plant the name of rattle weed in some localities. The 

 white loco weed is exceedingly common throughout Montana. It 

 occurs most abundantly on the northern slopes of foothills up to an 

 altitude of about 8,000 feet. Its preferred habitat is for the most 

 part in rather dry situations. The habit of the plant varies in differ* 

 ent parts of the State. In some localities the flowers are pure white, 

 while in others they are decidedly yellow. 



The loco problem has been an important factor with stock raisers 

 for a number of years. In different parts of the country different 

 plants are considered the chief offenders. In Colorado the plant which 

 is most ordinarily known as loco weed is Astragalus mollissimus, 

 while in Montana the species already named is perhaps most impor- 

 tant ; but there are others which have a rather wide distribution and 

 are known to produce the same effects. Among these may be men- 

 tioned A. splendens, A. lagopus, and A. besseyi. 



It is a common belief among a number of stockmen that the 

 eating of large quantities of alkali may produce a locoed condition. 

 There is no other evidence, however, for this belief, and there is con- 

 siderable evidence to disprove it. On one stock range which was 

 visited in the season of 1900, the loco disease had prevailed for a 

 number of years, and the first cases were observed in sheep which 

 were grazing upon a mountain range where no alkali was to be found 

 in the soil or water. The white loco weed, however, grew in abund- 

 ance, and sheep ate it in large quantities. After removing this band 

 of sheep to a location on the plains where all the water was strongly 

 alkaline and where the loco weed grew quite sparingly, a great 

 improvement was noted in the sheep. The belief is gaining ground 

 among the more intelligent stockmen that the failure to salt the sheep 

 regularly may in many instances be the cause of sheep developing 

 a perverted appetite, which is manifested by eating loco weeds to the 

 exclusion of other more suitable forage. 



The losses caused from the loco disease are very heavy in nearly 

 all the Rocky Mountain States. The locoed condition is so commonly 

 observed among sheep and horses that cases are not reported, and it 

 is practically impossible to learn the exact extent of the disease. In 



