10 



BULLETIN 1245, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



and in such cases the result is almost always heavy loss. (Fig. 3.) 

 Perhaps more cases of Zygadenus poisoning have been reported from 

 Montana than from any other State, but this is simply because the 



cases have been under 

 observation in that 

 locality; the losses are 

 probably just as heavy 

 in Utah, California, 

 and elsewhere. 



Treatment for Zygadenus 

 Poisoning 



There are no medici- 

 nal remedies which can 

 be used effectively for 

 Zygadenus poisoning. 

 The important thing is 

 to avoid the possi- 

 bility of the sheep's 

 eating any large quan- 

 tity of the plant. Un- 

 fortunately, the plants are quite toxic, so that comparatively small 

 quantities may produce harm. 



THE BEECH FAMILY (FAGACEAE) 



Figure 



-A sheep very sick from eating foothill death 

 camas, Zygadenus paniculatus 



OAK (SPECIES OF QUERCUS) 



Throughout the grazing regions of the West there is a very general 

 belief in the poisoning properties of oak leaves, more particularly in 

 regard to their sup- 

 posed toxic properties 

 for cattle. It is quite 

 generally thought that 

 poisonous effects are 

 produced in the spring, 

 when cattle are eat- 

 ing the buds and 

 young leaves. This 

 belief applies especi- 

 ally to the Gambel oak 

 ( Quercus ga-mbellii) , 

 which is a common 

 scrub oak of Colorado, 

 Utah, and New Mex- 

 ico, and to the shin- 

 nery oak (Quercus 

 havardi), a low shrub 

 in eastern New Mexico 

 and western Texas. Extended experiments have been carried out on 

 these plants by the United States Department of Agriculture. 



It has been found that when cattle eat very heavily of oak forage, 

 especially in the spring, when the foliage is tender and attractive 



Figure 3. — A locality in the State of Washington, 

 where 900 sheep out of a flock of 1,900 were victims 

 of grassy death camas 



