Suspicions About Stiltgrass

Can Japanese stiltgrass cause digestive upset in horses?
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Q. Are your sources aware of any information on horses grazing Japanese stiltgrass (aka packing grass or Nepalese browntop)? My pastures have been seriously invaded by stiltgrass, and my horses are grazing it, in both its green/growing and wilted forms. I am starting to suspect it is causing digestive upset in my older mare.

Specifically, the mare is a 21-year-old Quarter Horse on Prascend and (firocoxib). She normally eats 1 pound of Triple Crown Senior and 1 pound of Triple Crown Alfa-Lox plus free-choice orchard grass hay. As the stiltgrass died off this year and last, I noticed that first her manure became very smelly—a strong acidity smell—and she went off her feed. Putting her on UlcerGard and removing her from the pasture to a drylot seems to resolve the smell and restore her appetite after about seven to 10 days.

I have contacted my local extension service and sent them samples of the dried stiltgrass for analysis, but I have not heard back yet. I have also trolled the internet for information on livestock grazing stiltgrass and found basically nothing. I have also discussed this with my vet, a very experienced practitioner with a large clientele, and he tells me at least one other client has reported the same pattern of observations.

Are we on to something here, or is the wilted stiltgrass just a coincidence with another health issue? Has anyone studied stiltgrass and grazing livestock? Given how invasive it is in my area, I expect it to be showing up in future hay crops.–Mary S

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