COMMON AILMENTS OF CATTLE 165 



dai>ger. Death will sometimes occur within half an hour 

 after the food is eaten. As small a quantity as two pounds 

 sometimes causes death. 



The Nebraska Experiment Station 1 records a case where 

 21 cows out of 32 died within an hour after being turned 

 into a field of stunted kafir corn. When these crops are 

 pin into the silo or made into hay for some reason the dan- 

 ger disappears. Little can be done to treat an animal af- 

 fec'ed. In fact, as a rule the animal is dead before the 

 owner knows it is sick. Prevention, by excluding stock from 

 such -fields during seasons when the presence of the poison 

 is suspected, is the only safe course. 



152. Corn-stalk Disease. In the states of the Middle 

 West, where corn is grown in large quantities, the common 

 practice is to husk the corn from the standing stalks and 

 leave the stalks in the field. Later the cattle are turned 

 into the field to gather as much of the stalks and leaves as 

 they will utilize. Stalk fields are generally pastured during 

 the early part of the winter. Frequent losses of cattle occur 

 during the time they are given access to the stalk fields. 

 The ailment is known as the corn-stalk disease. It most 

 commonly occurs during periods of cold or wet weather and 

 always after the stalks have become thoroughly dry. The 

 trouble usually occurs during the first few days after the 

 cattle are put into the stalk field. 



The disease appears suddenly. The animal afflicted is 

 reluctant to move and when forced to do so shows an un- 

 steady gait. Later there are indications of severe pain such 

 as kicking towards the body, bellowing, and moaning. The 

 animal may froth at the mouth and attempt to attack any 

 one coming near. Death usually occurs within one or two 



1 Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 77. 



