Posted 2012-07-31 10:47 PM (#145984) Subject: Poisoning due to dry pasture
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376
Location: Missouri
With the extremely dry pastures, our stock is likely to start eating plants they would not normally eat, and some of them may be poison.
If you find your stock, stiff in the joints and walking slow and stiff, it is probably some noxious plant.
We had this happen a few weeks ago. This is the cure we used, that worked, ok, and then after the fact was approved by the vet. Give them 4 to 6 grams of bute, or 5 cc of banamine, not both, then a quadrupple dose of electrolytes, then keep them moving and have plenty of warm water available. And if you have any green clean grass, let them pick at this occasionally.. This will wash the poison thru.
Posted 2012-08-02 11:05 AM (#146011 - in reply to #145999) Subject: RE: Poisoning due to dry pasture
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376
Location: Missouri
I don't think the US Forest Service would like me spraying their grass lands.
AND, if I sprayed my pasture with these products, I'd also kill all of the legumes, I've worked so hard to establish.
So far I've not had any problems here at home, and not quite sure how I'll handle it if we get much dryer. Fortunately, we got an inch of rain last week and the pasture is fairly green, for now.
Posted 2012-08-02 1:56 PM (#146014 - in reply to #145984) Subject: RE: Poisoning due to dry pasture
Regular
Posts: 72
Location: New Mexico
So, you have a grazing lease on US Forest Service land?
Here, the most likely 'problem' plant is locoweed.Over time, I have spotted a FEW plants(which I pull) trying to sprout out on the front of my acreage but thankfully, NEVER any on the back part, which is where the horses live and are turned out on the rare occasions when we have enough rain for the sparse native grass to grow(so far this year, they've been out three times, for one hour...so it's drylot living, with generous hay, for them.) I have never had a horse afflicted, but have known some who were...loco-afflicted horses may well NEVER again be usable, and may also always be 'addicted', so can never again be pastured where there is even the chance it may grow.
I suspect you haven't SEEN 'dry pasture' if you haven't been in long-drought-stricken NM....
Posted 2012-08-09 7:35 AM (#146185 - in reply to #146177) Subject: RE: Poisoning due to dry pasture
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376
Location: Missouri
"Ask your vet befor you give Bute or Banamine"
Good idea, however, most of the time when they need it, we don't have a vet with us, and there is no phone service. It's either give it or they die. The choice is simple. I suppose we might kill one some day, but so far they have all been saved with it's use.