HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – Hemlock plants in the Bear’s Paw Mountains have caused livestock deaths and sickened at least one person in the area. District Coordinator for the Hill County Weed and Mosquito District Terry Turner says water hemlock and poison hemlock grow naturally in the area, but it seems to be more prevalent this year.
“Generally, when you have livestock that are dropping over, you probably have the plant called water hemlock in your pasture and it’s usually found along the riparian areas. We had three horses that were dead and shortly after, I heard some cattle had gotten into a pasture with some of that in it.”
Turner says that water hemlock is one of the most poisonous plants on earth.
“Water hemlock is more poisonous than then poison hemlock. With the water hemlock, it don’t take hardly anything to get people sick from that one, or animals. No antidote. Once you get the lethal dose, they’re pretty well done and, generally, the animals don’t go too far from where they bit the plant off.”
Turner says they have seen similar livestock deaths in the past, but they aren’t common. He encourages people to learn what these plants looks like and to call his office at 265-4453 if they need help disposing of the plants.
