Show j OAK LEAVES LAVES FATAL HI TOSTOCK TO TOSTOCK STOCK ON THE RANGE MANGE Government Experts Say Sag Salt Is Highly Beneficial t. t Twenty-four Twenty cattle out nt of a total bunch of four hundred were lost by a II t r community of on the Wasatch Wasatch Wa- Wa satch catch forest last year due it is believed believed believed be be- to the eating of oak brush It Itis is known that the leaves as well as aa bark of oak brush are rich in tannic acid the astringent properties of which are well known and utilized inthe in inthe the tanning of leather It al also o seems to operate injuriously on the alimentary aliment aliment- ary system of animals It has not been definitely determined whether it really eally acts as as a poison or is merely conducive to constipation This will willbe willbe be more fully investigated by Dr C. C D. D Marsh of the Bureau of Plant Industry Industry In In- in cooperation with Forest officers The is subject important because oak brush constitutes a large proportion proportion proportion tion tion as high as 10 to 25 25 per cent in some lome cases of the forage on some Utah forests Losses probably from oak brush have been reported from time to time though not of so large a proportion as on the Wasatch Inthe In Inthe Inthe the spring the tender leaves and shoots of oak brush are eaten in larger quantities than later in the sea season on unless other feed disappears or becomes dry When eaten together with succulent grasses and weeds there is usually no trouble and it Jt is found also that regular salting or provision provision provision pro pro- vision of continuous supply of salt is highly beneficial On the Manti forest forest forest for for- est in particular grazing place large tubs of salt on the cattle them securely to the ground with stakes This is filled with fine salt such as is used in freezing ice cream and a stor storage age supply is cached nearby that the forest ranger ranger may replenish the tub when needed Tubs are necessary in order that the frequent rains may not wash away the salt sait and that it be benot not pa pawed ed into the ground On high mountain ridges however which form the natural ranges for the horses hors hors- es it is not practicable to place salt suIt in this way since the horses destroy the tubs tubs' by pawing c While a liberal supply of fine salt sait is recommended for cattle accustomed accustomed accustom accustom- ed to regular sa salting ting care m must st be exercised that it its is not rea reached hed by bystock stock which are excessively salt hun hun- gry By such each fine salt is sometimes greedily devoured in quantities suf s sufficient to produce death |