LOCOWEED DISEASE OF SHEEP 403 



The following field notes indicate the general condition of the animals: 



August 7, 1904. Groups I and II. Sheep are not large, but are in fair flesh and 

 appear healthy; one or two have cough, not very severe, with sneeze. If there is any 

 difference between the groups it is hardly noticeable, possibly the unsalted sheep are 

 slightly fatter than the salted. Quite a lot of hay is left on the ground. All fresh 

 plants in corrals have been eaten. 



Group III (i alfalfa, no locoweed) can hardly be distinguished from Group I 

 and II by their appearance. Sheep not quite so fat, but nearly so. Cough is, however, 

 distinctly more pronounced. Not a wisp of hay left in the corral. Three of the five 

 sheep sneeze, cough, and have nasal discharge. Flies seem to be troubling the noses 

 of the sheep a good deal this morning. 



Groups IV and V (alfalfa and locoweed) . About as much hay left on ground as 

 with I and II. No appreciable difference between the sheep of Group IV and those 

 of Group V. About one-half the bunch have a cough and sneeze, etc., as with I, II 

 and III. Locoweed and other grasses (except wire grass) have been completely 

 eaten off. Animals look as well as or better than I and II. 



Group VI (half rations plus locoweed). The yearlings, like those in the other 

 groups, are undersized, and in this corral they are thin and scrawny, but not ema- 

 ciated. The lambs (May lambs) are hardly one-half the size of June lambs recently 

 seen in a healthy flock. The animals in Group I-VIII are suffering with the heat, 

 and stand panting, with their heads together and near the ground, to avoid flies. 



A small amount of alfalfa is still uneaten. The loco and grasses are being eaten. 

 Certainly one-half the bunch have the cough, etc., as above described. Lamb No. 

 55 in corral VI has very severe cough, etc., and is distinctly weak; would be called 

 a fairly severe "loco" by the average ranchman. Lamb No. 52 in corral VI seems 

 weaker than No. 55, but does not cough, though his nose is filled with mucus. No. 52 

 and No. 55 do not run off with the rest of the bunch, but stay and let one come up 

 to them. Every lamb in this corral has severe cough, eyes stuffed with mucus, ex- 

 cept one larger and sturdier lamb. 



Groups VII and VIII (sheep on loco without alfalfa) . Sheep are poorer than the 

 others; some are actually emaciated. Lambs even smaller than those in corral VI. 

 No. 46 (lainb) has in addition to cough, etc., an open ulcer on left side of face opposite 

 middle of cheek. In this corral the cough is found in nearly every animal, and is 

 more severe than in the other corrals. 



To generalize about the sheep. The day is very hot and the animals are sluggish, 

 staying in groups with heads together or lying in corners and under the drinking 

 troughs. None of the animals are what would be called first class sheep; all are small 

 and scrubby. The yearlings are hardly larger than some lambs recently seen, and 

 the lambs are not more than half size. The yearlings and lambs have grown extremely 

 • little. In each corral the animals are coughing, about one-half the animals in Group 

 I, II and III being affected, more in Group IV and in the last two corrals pretty much 

 every animal. In the last two corrals animals seem about half starved and the cough 

 is much more severe. Several of the starved animals with this cough are what would 

 be called "locoes" by ranchmen. 



The cough, etc., affecting the sheep in Groups VI, VII and VIII became 

 so severe that the animals began to die, and it looked as if the experiment 



