POISONOUS AND INJURIOUS PLANTS e. 
PLANT IDENTIFICATION 
A general knowledge of all the vegetation on the farm is useful in 
identifying poisonous plants. In addition, the stockman must know 
(A) what poisonous plants, if any, are on his land; (B) where they 
grow; (C) which part or parts of the plant are toxic, and the time 
of the year each is dangerous; (D) classes of livestock endangered ; 
and (E) the symptoms each plant can cause. When poisoning occurs, 
the steps in identifying the plant responsible are (A) to determine by 
inspection which of the suspected plants have actually been grazed 
(sometimes they can be identified in the paunch of a dead animal), 
and (B) to match the suspected plant with the symptoms of the poi- 
soned animal or animals. 
Usually the least likely plants can be progressively eliminated until 
the choice narrows down to one or a few possibilities. This trial-and- 
error process of identification is one of piecing all the clues together. 
Of course, animals may be poisoned by eating two or more poisonous 
plants at the same time, but this is probably a very rare occurrence. 
The stockman should not depend entirely on local beliefs about 
poisonous plants or about the symptoms produced in the animals 
that eat them, even though they are often correct, because he may 
give the wrong treatment and incur unnecessary losses. Confusion 
of common names can also hinder correct identification. 
Once the stockman has located the plant responsible for poisoning, 
he can use this bulletin to learn its name and how best to eliminate it. 
WAYS TO PREVENT POISONING AND REDUCE LOSSES 
Basically, there are just two ways to prevent poisoning: (A) Keep 
the animals away from the poisonous plants (as by fencing, and by 
using great care not to tie animals where they can reach any poison- 
ous plants) ; and (B) keep the poisonous plants away from the animals 
(as by destroying the plants). Unfortunately, it is frequently im- 
possible to apply either method completely, and it is therefore neces- 
sary to use all those indirect control methods which together comprise 
good livestock and pasture management. 
However, livestock can be kept nearly as safe by providing ample 
nonpoisonous forage. When given a choice, livestock will almost 
always consume good feed and avoid poisonous plants. Always pro- 
vide good, healthful feed in adequate amounts. Move the livestock 
to another paddock before the one they are using becomes overgrazed, 
and before they are tempted to eat any poisonous plants. This is also 
od ‘Se management because it allows the grass to grow back 
quickly. 
Not only is a pasture in good condition less dangerous to livestock, 
but an animal in good condition is less likely to eat poisonous plants. 
Very thin animals are almost constantly hungry and, if denied access 
to good feed, will eat poisonous plants even though many of them are 
unpalatable. Animals in good condition are not so desperate for 
feed, and are more likely to avoid poisonous plants. In other words, 
although it is difficult to get rid of every poisonous plant, or to always 
eep animals from approaching them, the risk of plant poisoning is 
reduced if livestock always have access to sufficient healthful, palatable 
