Cattle producers are being warned not to feed tall fescue hay or screenings after more than six northern Alberta producers were forced to shoot cattle that ate the grass seed.
One Peace River-area purebred cattle breeder shot 16 cows and four yearlings after the feet fell off his cattle when he fed tall fescue screenings to the herd.
“It’s a horrible damn thing. The only thing you can do is shoot the cow,” he said. The producer didn’t want his name used, and worried that cattle buyers would think the bad feet were caused by genetics rather than a feed problem.
Read Also
Agriculture ministers commit to enhancing competitiveness
Canadian ag ministers said they want to ensure farmers, ranchers and processors are competitive through ongoing regulatory reform and business risk management programs that work.
Tall fescue is a grass relatively new to the Peace River area, which produces about 90 percent of Canada’s grass seed. Tall fescue is used mainly as a golf course grass in the United States.
With concerns about chemical use on golf courses, plant breeders developed the grass, which contains an endophyte fungus. The fungus stimulates seed production, helps make the plant drought resistant and acts as a biological control for insect pests.
The fungus becomes a problem when it’s fed to or grazed by livestock.
The producer noticed the problem last winter when he saw balls of what appeared to be ice on the back hoofs of the cattle. With a hammer and chisel he chipped off about 10 centimetres of it before realizing it was frozen feet.
The problem is called fescue foot. It happens because endophyte restricts blood flow to tiny capillaries, restricting blood flow to the feet. Gangrene sets in and the cow’s feet, tail or ears fall off. The symptoms are similar to ergot poisoning.
Removed from diet
The producer realized what happened and stopped feeding the screenings, which are chaff-like leftovers from the seed cleaning plant, used as an inexpensive feed source. Tall fescue was only a small percentage of the screening mixture.
In an effort to save the unborn calves, he tried to keep the cows alive as long as he could during the pregnancy.
The cows had little appetite, wouldn’t walk to water and ate little.
He managed to save three of the five calves whose mothers died before giving birth. In the spring, more cattle lost their feet or went lame and the producer was forced to cull more animals from the herd.
“I will absolutely not touch tall fescue. As far as I’m concerned it’s completely out under any circumstances,” said the producer, who is worried he hasn’t seen the end of the problems.
Tall fescue also increases the animals’ body temperature, causing breeding difficulties.
“It cost us in reduced inventory and reduced performance. I estimate it cost us $30,000.”
A Tomslake, B.C., cattle producer also had problems with tall fescue. He fed 250 cows 100 bales of it over a four-month period. From that he shot four cows after their back feet were affected. Three more cows lost one back foot each and were sold to the auction market. Another 15 went lame and 50 cows lost the tips of their tails.
“I wouldn’t feed it for nothing,” said the man, who also didn’t want his name used.
He said before he fed the hay he had it toxicity-tested and talked to agriculture specialists who assured him it was safe to feed the fescue straw.
In Kentucky, horses grazed on tall fescue have more problems foaling. The endophyte increases gestation, creating a bigger colt and retained afterbirth. In warm areas, cattle cannot graze the grass because it elevates the body temperature and causes heat stress.
Nigel Fairey, a scientist with Agriculture Canada’s Northern Agriculture Research Centre in Beaverlodge, Alta., said he is convinced tall fescue is a good option for producers who want to grow a different grass crop.
During a feeding trial there were no adverse effects to cattle fed the hay-like aftermath of the fescue crop. The endophytes in the straw on feed trial were about 350 to 400 parts per billion, the level where it becomes toxic to cattle. Endophytes tend to be in a higher concentration in screenings.
After the northern Alberta producer had the problem, a sample of the screenings was sent to an Oregon lab for testing. It came back at 1,700 ppb, one of the highest the laboratory has ever tested. Endophytes are higher in the crop grown in hot, dry weather.
Fairey believes tall fescue can be fed to livestock if it’s managed properly and diluted with other feed.
The producer said he was aware of some of the tall fescue problems and still had a disaster.
