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FEATURE: HORSE NUTRITION
Understanding Ryegrass Staggers
Ryegrass staggers is a neurological condition caused by the fungus Lolitrem B, which is produced by an endophyte fungus found in perennial ryegrass. This fungus does not harm the plant; rather, it protects it by making it unappealing to insects that might otherwise consume the ryegrass. Even small amounts of Lolitrem B can adversely affect horses. Symptoms include tremors, poor body condition, a lacklustre coat, and increased nervousness. In high doses, horses may stagger, experience paralysis, and in severe cases, this can lead to death. Many former dairy, beef, or sheep farms were sown with ryegrass and clover to fatten livestock. Understanding the grass your horse is eating is very important. If you are unsure, employ a pasture specialist to assist with identification. You can not visually see Lolitrem B on the rye grass.
Diagnostic Support
Knowing that you have ryegrass allows you to assess the risks, and implement grazing strategies. To verify the level of Lolitrium B, you can collect samples and send them for laboratory testing. This analysis will provide a parts per billion reading. The results may not necessarily be helpful, as tolerable levels will be specific to your horses. Even in low concentrations, toxicity from the cumulative effects may occur. Additionally, horses grazing in close proximity to each other may respond differently; one horse might be significantly affected while another remains completely unaffected.
Management
If testing shows that your property has elevated levels of lolitrem B, then allowing horses to graze in that area may not be advisable. Farmers have chosen perennial ryegrass for its resilience, which poses a challenge for horse owners looking to eliminate it. Spraying the grass can lead to the introduction of new weeds, potentially diminishing the land ' s productivity and stock-holding capacity. As horses are selective grazers, they will consume the new, appealing seedlings, allowing the ryegrass to reestablish itself. Therefore, managing pasture grazing effectively is the best strategy to mitigate this risk. Each season requires its own grazing approach. In summer, avoid grazing long seed heads. Mow any long, dry grass( image left). Make sure the cut grass has blown away, or remove it, before horses can graze. While most animals typically won ' t graze this dry pasture, they may resort to eating it if no other options are available. The highest risk period for ryegrass staggers extends from summer to autumn. During winter and spring, the same paddocks pose less risk, although be cautious during Spring, as ryegrass is high in Non-Structural Carbohydrates( NSC) and sugar, making it a risk for laminitis, obesity, and metabolic disorders.
Nutritional Support
Ryegrass can sometimes lead to an unbalanced diet for your horses. To address deficiencies in essential trace elements and vitamins, consider supplementing with daily vitamins and minerals such as BreedPlus for breeding stock, Completavite for horses at rest or with low activity levels, and Oxydane for high-performance horses. Limit grazing on ryegrass and offer Hi Form Equicube complete feed. Alphafibre, which includes lucerne hay and Completavite, is low in sugar and high in fibre. This feed can be safely given to horses on restricted diets and is presented in the form of hay cubes. Nature intended for horses to eat grass. Native, natural and low in sugar. Improved pastures, with the wrong species of grasses, cause problems for most horses. If you have any concerns regarding your horse ' s diet, please reach out to us at enq @ hiform. com. au
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION- www. aqha. com. au