Why is tall fescue grass dangerous for horses?
Why is tall fescue grass dangerous for horses? Actually, it’s not the grass that is dangerous. It’s the fungus, Neotyphodium coenophialum, that creates the toxin associated with tall fescue grass. But where there is fescue grass, there is Neotyphodium coenophialum. It is estimated that 90% of the 35 million acres of tall fescue grass in the United States are infected with Neotyphodium coenophialum.
How can I identify fescue grass?
When I first looked up tall fescue grass I thought, “Okay, that is my lawn.” There are a lot of types of grasses used for lawns but fescue grass is a popular choice. It’s a deep green grass that maintains its color well into fall. It has a broader leaf than fine fescue. I’d say fine fescue is that soft and lush short lawn. Tall fescue is courser and invasions of tall fescue in your fine soft lawn would stand out.
If tall fescue is allowed to grow tall, the leaves begin to drape over. The leaves will feel rough to the touch due to a serrated edge and the vein in the middle will be prominent. The grass also grows in bunches.
What are the signs of toxicity?
Signs of toxicity in horses are mainly restricted to reproductive issues. According to Cornell’s department of agriculture and life science. Neotyphodium coenophialum toxicity causes the placenta in pregnant horses to thicken and this can cause the placenta to separate from the uterus prematurely. It can also cause a range of other issues such as low lactation or no lactation, foal rejection, dummy foals, and lower growth rates of yearlings.
See other posts related to pastures and grass.
Resources for this article:
Sebastian, Manu M. “Neotyphodium Coenophialum.” Neotyphodium Coenophialum – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, 2007, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/veterinary-science-and-veterinary-medicine/neotyphodium-coenophialum.
“Table of Contents | Forage Information System | Oregon State University.” Forage Information System, 30 Dec. 2015, https://forages.oregonstate.edu/tallfescuemonograph/toc.
