Managing Pastures to Avoid Tall Fescue Toxicity

Broodmare farm operators in the southeastern United States are interested in managing tall fescue toxicity because of the pregnancy complications it can cause.
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Broodmare farm operators in the southeastern United States are interested in managing tall fescue toxicity because of the pregnancy complications it can cause. The University of Kentucky Horse Pasture Evaluation Program, has evaluated more than 13,500 acres of Central Kentucky horse pastures over the past five years. In doing so, researchers involved in the evaluation have learned a tremendous amount about managing tall fescue toxicity.

According to Ray Smith, PhD, pasture evaluation program director, program evaluations have shown tall fescue makes up approximately 20% of the pasture composition on horse farms in Central Kentucky. (The remaining composition is 30% Kentucky bluegrass, 11% orchardgrass, 9% clover, 20% weeds, and 10% bare soil.)

Clinical signs of tall fescue toxicity in pregnant mares include increased gestation length; agalactia (absence of milk production); foal and mare mortality; tough, thickened, or retained placentas; weak and immature foals; reduced serum prolactin levels; and reduced progesterone levels. Other signs include abortions, decreased conception, early embryonic mortality, and dystocia.

Studies found a general lack of elevated body temperatures, which differs from what is seen with fescue toxicity in cattle, but some studies reported increased sweating in pregnant mares. Since horses possess more sweat glands than cattle, evaporative cooling from sweating more freely regulates body temperature

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