Drought and Locoweed with a Giveaway

With Nancy J. Farrier

In my upcoming release, Crazy About Cait, (The Cowboy’s Bride Collection, I show the devastating effects of the of the drought in 1860’s California. One of the problems concerned the lack of good feed and the danger of locoweed poison. A rancher’s herd could be decimated within a very short time.

The 1860’s in California was a decade of difficulties with weather. Prior to 1860, they went through nearly two decades of dry weather with little rainfall. Farmer’s and ranchers prayed for rain and for the drought to stop.

Photo by Jaime Jackson

In December of 1860 and January of 1862, torrential rains fell. Much of California suffered from floods and mudslides. People, cattle and horses drowned in the fields. Whole communities were washed away and everyone died. Months passed before the waters completely receded.

By 1862 the drought conditions returned in full force. While the hearts and minds of the people in the east were mired in the Civil War, residents in California fought to retain their livelihood as the water dried and their livestock died off.

Pacific SW Region US Fish and Wildlife
Locoweed Coachella

So, where does locoweed come into this? In times of good grazing, locoweed is there, but also there is plenty of healthy grass to eat. Rancher’s could keep their stock in the areas that were free of the poisonous weed. But, in times of drought, the edible graze dies off leaving the stunted, but edible locoweed. Starving livestock will graze on anything, not realizing the plants will not nourish them, but have the opposite effect. Horses are especially susceptible.

How does the locoweed harm an animal? The plant

Swainsona galegifolia
Sydenham Edwards, Sansum

contains something called swainsonine. During the wet years, the swainsonine is there but in more diluted quantities. In drought years, when the plant is stunted, the swainsonine, or poison, is much more prominent. Thus, the livestock feeding on the locoweed during drought conditions consume more of the poison than they would in other times.

Once the animal consumes the locoweed, all of their body systems are affected. At first, the horse, or cow, appears normal. The symptoms don’t show up right away. When they do, the animal often appears to be starving, which during drought conditions is often the case.

Photo by Stan Shebs

At first, the animals are reluctant to move, have a loss of appetite, and in a few days they will show subtle tremors as they walk. Soon the weight loss is more severe, they become nervous when stressed. Neurological disturbances cause them to be difficult to work with. They panic, become depressed, or even aggressive.

Finally, they cannot eat. The ability to consume food is impaired. They have reduced fertility, so even if they recover enough to be kept, they can’t reproduce. A rancher whose herd can’t grow, is a rancher who is losing profit. Even if the horse, or cow, does reproduce

the poison can be passed to the young through the mother’s milk.

In the 1860’s, ranchers had to sell much of their livestock, which flooded the markets, driving down the prices. Some reported driving part of their herd into the mountains to save the rest. They just didn’t have the feed they needed for all the animals.

Have you ever heard or locoweed, or perhaps seen the plant? Have you ever been in drought conditions where you had to ration water? I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below to be entered in a giveaway for a copy of The Cowboy’s Bride.

Ride onto the open range alongside cowboys and cowgirls who embrace the adventures of living in the Old West from Kansas to New Mexico, Colorado to Texas. Whether rounding up cattle or mustangs, training horses, fending off outlaws, weathering storms, competing in rodeos, or surviving drought these cowboys work hard each day. But when hardheaded men have their weaknesses exposed by well-meaning women will they stampede away or will a lasting love develop? Find out in this exciting collection of nine historical romances.

Nancy J Farrier is an award winning author who lives in Southern California in the Mojave Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. Nancy and her husband have five children and two grandsons. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. Nancy is represented by Karen Ball of The Steve Laube Literary Agency. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.