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Horses Grazing Fescue Require Sound Management:

Last Modified: October 2, 1998

Editor's Note: I spoke with Les Burwash of the Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development (AAFRD) - Horse Industry Section about the relevance of this article to Albertans. He noted that the 'tall' fescue in question (Kentucky 31) is not grown in our region and taking care to purchase only clean seed should guarantee the absence of the seed-borne endophyte that causes the described health problems. If you have any questions about this article for your region, call your veterinarian or if in Alberta, contact the AAFRD Horse Industry Section at (403)948-8532 (Airdrie) or (403)427-5096 (Edmonton).

The ability to use tall fescue as pasture for horses is a helpful aid to many owners' pocketbooks, though it is a practice that takes sound management. More than 85 percent of Oklahoma's fescue is infected with an endophyte that can cause health problems in horses. Unfortunately, ridding pastures of fescue is difficult, time-consuming and expensive.

"The result is that many horse owners try to balance equine health concerns with being able to use this widespread Oklahoma grass," said Dave Freeman, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension equine specialist.

Tall fescue is a cool-season, perennial bunchgrass that grows best when the average temperature is greater than 45 degrees Fahrenheit but less than 85 degrees Fahrenheit, making it ideal for Oklahoma.

Fescue typically has a split growing season in Oklahoma. It generally begins growth in September, becomes semi-dormant during mid-winter, then begins to grow again in late February before becoming dormant again during the mid-summer months.

Fescue-related problems in horses center around the broodmare, as growth research trials have shown different results and provide fairly straightforward recommendations.

"If growing horses have problems, they probably are related to decreased level of intake, which causes lower energy intakes," Freeman stated. "If growing horses on fescue are exhibiting poor growth, producers should supplement fescue intake with grain or hays to increase energy intake."

Difficulties with broodmares are more complicated. In cattle, problems associated with fescue consumption include decreased weight gains, increased body temperature and necrosis (death) of tissue in feet, tail and ears. Pregnant mares do not exhibit increases in body temperature or symptoms related to necrosis of tissue.

"Fescue-related problems with mares include prolonged gestation lengths, increased levels of dystocia (foaling problems) and a reduction or complete lack of milk production," Freeman said. "Lack of milk production seems to be the most consistently observed fescue-related problem."

All three symptoms have been shown to occur in broodmares when those animals are consuming mixed diets of fescue and other hays or grain, so diluting out the effect of fescue does not appear to be a solution.

"Solving the problem involves removing the source of fescue well before foaling or administering drug therapy to the mare to inhibit or correct problems," Freeman noted.

General recommendations call for the removal of mares from fescue 30 to 90 days before foaling. Research indicates this management tool significantly reduces problems as long as mares are removed from all sources of infected fescue, including hays.

The most recent drug therapy is the use of domperidone, which several Oklahoma veterinarians have prescribed. Domperidone is administered as an oral dose if fescue toxicosis and treatment is indicated, given 10 to 15 days prior to the expected foaling date and up to actual foaling.

"Treatments seem to have a high efficacy rate," Freeman said. "OSU animal scientists have received several calls concerning the availability of this treatment. It is available to veterinarians through Equi-Tox, Inc., Pendleton, South Carolina."

The above article has been provided courtesy of
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.