Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Rye grass stagger

The disease in brief

Ryegrass stagger is caused by a mycotoxin produced by an invisible parasitic fungus of the ryegrass Lolium perenne; this toxin intervenes in neuronal nerve transmission at the central level. Other mycotoxins can have similar effects. The signs of intoxication encountered are transient and once removed from the infected pasture, the cattle recover in a few days, without after-effects, the lethality is limited, but accidental deaths by falls or drowning occur.

Clinic & diagnosis

The disease is suspected when a group of cattle, collectively, shows signs of drunkenness at pasture, sometimes dysphagia:

- Dominant locomotor signs: He staggers, falters, has an ataxic gait or shows hypermetria by lifting his feet excessively, particularly when crossing an obstacle.

-Behaviorally: agitated or dejected, even sleepy or “all limp”; tremors or myoclonus, even convulsions

-Sometimes the cattle have difficulty eating

Typical sign of the disease

No description

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

– Grass Tetany-NV14.2

– Enterotoxemia-Nervous form-NV23 

-Cherry laurel poisoning -N136 

– Datura-N167 poisoning 

 – Lead poisoning-TX4

Confirm a suspicion?

No single test available; if necessary a specialized laboratory can identify endophytic fungi.

Prognosis and treatment

Treatment consists of removing the cattle from the infected plot. Improvement is seen in the following days; calm agitated cattle if necessary, but above all protect them from any accidental death.

Prevention

Do not overgraze, as fungi are the basis of infected grass.

References

Blackwell's five-minute veterinary consult-Ruminant; Haskell SRR Ed Wiley-Blackwell