Ryegrass endophyte-related heat stress in cattle

Heat stress in Northland cattle has been shown to be similar to tall fescue toxicosis as described in south-east USA, but incidence has not been correlated with the presence of tall fescue on farms. Tall fescue toxicosis results from grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue, and is caused by the alkaloid ergovaline. Cases are described of cattle suffering typical symptoms of ergovaline poisoning, though they had negligible access to tall fescue. Pasture surveys have shown ergovaline levels in ryegrass pastures to often be sufficient to cause toxicosis. Ambient temperatures interact with ingestion of toxin to cause heat stress. It is suggested that usual weather conditions in New Zealand temper the negative effects of the toxin. Higher temperatures increase the levels of ergovaline in pasture, and increase the sensitivity of livestock to it. Heat stress in North Island cattle probably usually results from the interaction of particular environmental conditions with the grazing of perennial ryegrass. Keywords: endophyte, ergovaline, fescue toxicosis, heat stress, Lolium perenne

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Clinical manifestations of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and perennial ryegrass (lolium perenne) toxicosis in Oregon and Japan

NZGA: Research and Practice Series ◽

10.33584/rps.13.2006.3170 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

pp. 369-372

Author(s):

L.L. Blythe ◽

A.M. Craig ◽

C. Estill ◽

C. Cebra

Keyword(s):

Lolium Perenne ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Beef Cows ◽

Fescue Toxicosis ◽

Angus Cattle ◽

Multiple Vehicles ◽

Tall Fescue Toxicosis

There are multiple vehicles for endophyte toxicosis in animals including exposure from pasture, straw residues and seed screenings. This report discusses the clinical cases typically seen with tall fescue and perennial ryegrass toxicosis in Oregon and Japan. Case I involves a herd of 330 Black Angus cattle. Before the March calving season the owner wished to increase the protein content of the feed ration by feeding pellets made of seed screenings and grass hay. Forty two animals were lost to tall fescue toxicosis and dry gangrene of the feet and legs. Case II involves 1300 beef cows in Eastern Oregon fed grass straw; 485 animals were lost due to dry gangrene characteristic of tall fescue toxicosis. Case III describes 4 of 15 cases of both tall fescue and perennial ryegrass toxicosis in Japanese black cattle. Case IV involves llamas and alpacas on pasture and lawn paddocks where some animals were affected by tall fescue and some by perennial ryegrass. Keywords: tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea L., perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne, endophyte, Neotyphodium coenophialum, Neotyphodium lolii

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Can pasture persistence be improved through the use of nonryegrass species?

NZGA: Research and Practice Series ◽

10.33584/rps.15.2011.3197 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 157-162

Author(s):

G.D. Milne

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Water Temperature ◽

Lolium Perenne ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Dactylis Glomerata ◽

Grass Species ◽

Nutrient Deficiencies ◽

Recent Discussion

Recent discussion about pasture persistence concentrates on pastures based on perennial ryegrass, the most commonly used grass species. This paper raises the question as to whether some of the causes of poor pasture persistence are due to perennial ryegrass being used in environments to which it is not suited. The adaptation to environmental stresses, particularly water, temperature and nutrient deficiencies, in different regions of New Zealand of tall fescue, cocksfoot, phalaris, and lucerne are discussed, and how this impacts on persistence advantages over perennial ryegrass. Keywords: persistence, pasture, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, Lolium perenne, Medicago sativa, Phalaris aquatica

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Genetics of disease resistance inBos tauruscattle

Animal Genetic Resources Information ◽

10.1017/s1014233900004892 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 23 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

C.A. Morris

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Disease Resistance ◽

New Zealand ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Bos Taurus ◽

Fescue Toxicosis ◽

Production Traits ◽

The Usa ◽

Facial Eczema ◽

Tall Fescue Toxicosis

SummaryThis review summarises evidence for genetic variation ofBos tauruscattle to diseases encountered under temperate conditions, including internal and external parasitism, susceptibility to mycotoxic diseases (tall fescue toxicosis, facial eczema, ryegrass staggers), mastitis, ketosis, pasture bloat, leukosis, tuberculosis, foot and mouth, brucellosis and BSE. Averaging mean heritability estimates reviewed from 8 diseases (weighted equally) gave a value of 0.21, indicating that measurable genetic variation for disease traits inBos tauruscattle is somewhat less than that for production traits, such as milk yield or body weight. Many estimates, however, have high standard errors, and there could be an upward bias resulting from non-reporting of zero or non-significant estimates.Few single-trait selection experiments have been conducted to study the genetics of disease resistance traits in cattle. For the disease traits where selection is being applied extensively, index selection for improved disease resistance and increased production is more common than single-trait selection. Results from a long-term (25 year) divergent selection experiment with resistance/susceptibility to pasture bloat in cattle in New Zealand are reviewed. Four single-year experiments comparing progeny of ‘high’ versus ‘low’ sires for resistance to disease are also reviewed, one in Australia studying faecal nematode egg counts, one in the USA involving the mycotoxic disease, tall fescue toxicosis, a third in New Zealand involving the mycotoxic disease, facial eczema, and a fourth in the USA involvingBrucella abortus.

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Invasion Resistance of Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinaceae) and Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne) to Kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum)

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/s0890037x00041282 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 24-29 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Clyde L. Elmore ◽

Victor A. Gibeault ◽

David W. Cudney

Keyword(s):

Lolium Perenne ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Invasion Resistance ◽

Seeding Rate ◽

Pennisetum Clandestinum ◽

Stolon Length

Overseeding established kikuyugrass swards with tall fescue or perennial ryegrass reduced kikuyugrass cover. Renovation prior to seeding did not aid in the establishment of these two species. Increasing the seeding rate from 79 to 157 kg/ha improved the establishment of perennial ryegrass but not tall fescue. When kikuyugrass plugs were introduced into established turf, tall fescue reduced the invasion of kikuyugrass stolons more than perennial ryegrass. Tall fescue reduced percent kikuyugrass cover, number and spread of stolons, and biomass (compared to perennial ryegrass). The newer turf-type tall fescue cultivars ‘Bonsai,’ ‘Falcon,’ and ‘Olympic’ were more effective than the older tall fescue cultivar ‘Fawn’ in reducing kikuyugrass invasion by reducing stolon number, stolon length, and biomass.

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Strategies to manage the evolution of glyphosate resistance in New Zealand

New Zealand Plant Protection ◽

10.30843/nzpp.2016.69.5944 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 69 ◽

pp. 252-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

K.C. Harrington ◽

T.K. James ◽

M.D. Parker ◽

H. Ghanizadeh

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Weed Control ◽

Lolium Perenne ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Lolium Multiflorum ◽

Resistance Management ◽

Glyphosate Resistance ◽

Italian Ryegrass ◽

Fruit Crops ◽

Sustainable Farming

The first cases of weeds developing resistance to glyphosate within New Zealand have recently been reported and investigated Both perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) populations have become resistant to glyphosate in several Marlborough vineyards due to many years of weed control using mainly just glyphosate Glyphosate is currently being used in many situations throughout New Zealand that could easily lead to further resistance developing such as in other perennial fruit crops on roadsides railways amenity areas waste areas fence lines and headlands of crops Following wide consultation as part of a Sustainable Farming Fund project strategies for resistance management in three systems (vineyard and orchards amenity and waste areas and crops and pastures) are suggested Adoption of these strategies will allow glyphosate to continue as a useful herbicide in New Zealand

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VARIATION AMONG PERENNIAL RYEGRASS x TALL FESCUE PLANTS FROM TISSUE CULTURE

Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association ◽

10.33584/jnzg.1988.49.1831 ◽

1988 ◽

pp. 81-86

Author(s):

A.G. Scott ◽

D.W.R. White

Keyword(s):

Tissue Culture ◽

Lolium Perenne ◽

Perennial Ryegrass ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

Festuca Arundinacea ◽

Chromosome Doubling ◽

Chromosome Elimination ◽

Intergeneric Hybrids ◽

Hybrid Plants ◽

Spontaneous Chromosome

Tissue culture was used in an attempt to obtain a fertile perennial ryegrass x tall fescue hybrid. Regenerated hybrid plants were found to be morphologically variable and contain extensive chromosome rearrangements. Spontaneous chromosome doubling had occurred as well as chromosome elimination. though no fertile hybrid plants have been obtained to date. Keywords: somaclonal variation, Lolium perenne, Festuca arundinacea, intergeneric hybrids

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Development of a genetic evaluation for hair shedding in American Angus cattle to improve thermotolerance

Genetics Selection Evolution ◽

10.1186/s12711-020-00584-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Harly J. Durbin ◽

Duc Lu ◽

Helen Yampara-Iquise ◽

Stephen P. Miller ◽

Jared E. Decker

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Beef Cattle ◽

Tall Fescue ◽

The United States ◽

Genetic Evaluation ◽

Functional Enrichment ◽

Fescue Toxicosis ◽

Weaning Weight ◽

Angus Cattle ◽

Genetic Evaluations

Abstract Background Heat stress and fescue toxicosis caused by ingesting tall fescue infected with the endophytic fungus Epichloë coenophiala represent two of the most prevalent stressors to beef cattle in the United States and cost the beef industry millions of dollars each year. The rate at which a beef cow sheds her winter coat early in the summer is an indicator of adaptation to heat and an economically relevant trait in temperate or subtropical parts of the world. Furthermore, research suggests that early-summer hair shedding may reflect tolerance to fescue toxicosis, since vasoconstriction induced by fescue toxicosis limits the ability of an animal to shed its winter coat. Both heat stress and fescue toxicosis reduce profitability partly via indirect maternal effects on calf weaning weight. Here, we developed parameters for routine genetic evaluation of hair shedding score in American Angus cattle, and identified genomic loci associated with variation in hair shedding score via genome-wide association analysis (GWAA). Results Hair shedding score was moderately heritable (h2 = 0.34 to 0.40), with different repeatability estimates between cattle grazing versus not grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue. Our results suggest modestly negative genetic and phenotypic correlations between a dam’s hair shedding score (lower score is earlier shedding) and the weaning weight of her calf, which is one metric of performance. Together, these results indicate that economic gains can be made by using hair shedding score breeding values to select for heat-tolerant cattle. GWAA identified 176 variants significant at FDR < 0.05. Functional enrichment analyses using genes that were located within 50 kb of these variants identified pathways involved in keratin formation, prolactin signalling, host-virus interaction, and other biological processes. Conclusions This work contributes to a continuing trend in the development of genetic evaluations for environmental adaptation. Our results will aid beef cattle producers in selecting more sustainable and climate-adapted cattle, as well as enable the development of similar routine genetic evaluations in other breeds.

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Tall Fescue Toxicosis Mitigation Strategies: Comparisons of Cow-Calf Returns in Spring- and Fall-Calving Herds

Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics ◽

10.1017/s1074070800024123 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 44 (4) ◽

pp. 577-592 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Stephen A. Smith ◽

James D. Caldwell ◽

Michael P. Popp ◽

Kenneth P. Coffey ◽

John A. Jennings ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tall Fescue ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Fescue Toxicosis ◽

South Central ◽

Central United States ◽

Calving Rate ◽

Cow Calf ◽

Calving Season ◽

Fall Calving ◽

Tall Fescue Toxicosis

Tall fescue toxicosis adversely affects calving rate and weight gains reducing returns to cow-calf producers in the south–central United States. This grazing study estimated animal and economic performance implications of endophyte-infected fescue and calving season. Establishing novel endophyte-infected tall fescue on 25% of pasture acres resulted in improved calving rates (87% vs. 70%), weaning weights (532 lbs vs. 513 lbs), and partial returns per acre ($257 vs. $217). Additionally, fall-calving cows had higher calving rates (91% vs. 67%), weaning weights (550 lbs vs. 496 lbs), and partial returns per acre ($269 vs. $199) than spring calving cows.

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