Fescue Toxicity

[Deleted]

Bought a new mare a couple months ago. Supposed to bred for for an October foal (which is really strange that a mare would be cycling in November but that is what I was told). Mare was very underweight. She has put on weight nicely with good pasture and a little grain. 

I noticed yesterday that she was starting to bag up. Talked to seller again today. Now I'm told that she was bred in October, which means a September baby (and makes a bit more sense that still cycling in November). But she still shouldn't be bagging up now. She wasn't in a great situation, I'm now assuming they have no clue when she was bred or to what.

I know about fescue toxicity. Learned that lesson the hard way about 25 years ago. Hopefully things have changed in 25 years. I will pull her off pasture and get her on hay as soon as I get my hands on good hay that is fescue free. I had heard there were shots out there to be given 30 days before foaling and would take care of the problem. I'm not seeing them in my searchs. 

I have found Equidone gel, which comes with it's own set of problems. 

My pasture is looking good and has a fair amount of white clover, so I'm assuming that she is probably avoiding the fescue. 

What else can I do to assure a good foaling here?

Thanks!

[aoconnor]

Fescue can and will cause late term abortion. I strongly suggest you get her off that pasture right now and corral her, feed her alfalfa. If she is bagging up she may have another couple of months, or she may foal tomorrow. I've had both scenarios happen. No sense in "hoping she is avoiding the fescue", she may possibly be, but fescue is a good grass and they like it, so don't bank on her eating the clover rather than the fescue.

As I said, corral her and get her on alfalfa, plus slowly bring her up onto a good mare/foal formula feed. Triple Crown Growth, Purina Ultium Growth, and Blue Bonnet Growth are all very good feeds. If you can't find or get those, Purina Strategy or Nutrena Safe Choice are both ok for all life stages.

Good luck!

[Deleted]

I will get her off pasture, but I have to find safe hay first. She is getting Safe Choice Senior feed right now. Also has free choice protein block plus loose salt and mineral.

[mollymckee]

I'd get her out of the pasture and get hay from the feed store, if you have to. A few expensive bales may save you a lot down the road. I remember sfm has had experience with fescue or was worried and researched it. If she doesn't see this, you might send her a message. I've never had fescue in pastures so haven't had to deal with it.

[Deleted]

Feed stores here don't sell hay. Except for 1 other mare, I always foaled in the very early spring, mares were still on hay, so no problem. Haven't had a foal in 10 years, so haven't been buying fescue free hay. After I get off work, I'll see what I can find.

[aoconnor]

Where are you located?

[Deleted]

Central Illinois

[Deleted]

Feed store should have alfalfa or orchardgrass or timothy pellets. Can't entirely replace long fiber with that, but the less hungry she is when going to pasture the more picky she'll be about what she eats and the less of it she'll eat.

[aoconnor]

Call around, ask the feed stores in your area where to buy good hay or alfalfa. Really, for the last trimester, alfalfa would be better. But get what you can get if you can't get alfalfa!

[Deleted]

I have had a lot of experience with fescue in the 15 years I've been in KY. Never heard of it when I was in MT and it is definitely one of the things I really, really HATE about KY.

The endophyte that causes the problems is in the seedheads of the grass and almost all the hay you get here can also contain some fescue even though it comes from "fescue free" fields. The endophyte that causes the issues in mares also makes that type of fescue much tougher and although farmers will periodically plow and reseed trying to eradicate it, it is so invasive that it will eventually encroach and kill out some of the endophyte-free fescue and other grasses.

I've never heard of a shot you can give 30 days before foaling to prevent the problems. The domperidone, which can help lessen the effects of fescue is not something they recommend being given before the mare foals. I've used it and always have it on hand because it will help boost milk production, which is another thing that fescue can cause but there can be problems if it is given before foaling.

We are as careful as possible without being obsessive about it. Normally our bred mares are kept on hay until they foal before being turned out on pasture. If they foal late, we take them off pasture 30 days before they are due to foal and put them on hay. We buy the best hay we can find, but it is not truly 'fescue free' although the producer does try to limit the fescue. Just being sensible like this, we have only lost two foals to what I believe to be fescue related problems in 15 years , with 1 to 10 foals a year.

This year, unfortunately, we've been unable to keep the June foaling mares on hay. DH has been having serious issues with his back (as I do also) and the tractor we feed with broke down and still isn't back in operation so it has been physically impossible for us to handfeed ... we simply cannot pitchfork the hay out of the big rolls onto the pickup and then into the turnout lot twice a day. We have lost one of the 3 foals due in June to what I believe was fescue issues, a heavy, thickened placenta.

Older breeders here in the area (and the vets I talk to) say that fescue will not affect all mares equally and not even even the same mares every year. Some mares seem to have no problem with it and foal normally, others ( andthis is what I have seen in my mares) is lower milk production, which is why I always keep the Domperidone on hand.

If she were my mare, what I would do is take her off pasture and put her on hay 4 to 6 weeks before her probable foaling date, keep a tube of Domperidone on hand in case she doesn't have much milk and the chances are you will be fine.

[aoconnor]

sfm, excellent information. Im so sorry you lost a foal this spring to possible fescue issues, how very sad for you. I wish I lived nearer to you, I would come put in hay of your bred mares so you didn't have to worry about it.

[Deleted]

Jun 10, 2015 22:38:52 GMT aoconnor said:

sfm, excellent information. Im so sorry you lost a foal this spring to possible fescue issues, how very sad for you. I wish I lived nearer to you, I would come put in hay of your bred mares so you didn't have to worry about it.

Thanks. I know it's just one of the hazards of the area you have to deal with, but it's especially difficult when I know it could have probably been prevented except for the series of problems and the fact that old age and old injuries limit what we are able to do. I have plans in place so that hopefully next year we have ways to work around the feeding problem. And I'm keeping fingers crossed that the other two mares did not react to the fescue.

[Deleted]

Jun 11, 2015 12:52:12 GMT @sfm said:

Jun 10, 2015 22:38:52 GMT aoconnor said:

Thanks. I know it's just one of the hazards of the area you have to deal with, but it's especially difficult when I know it could have probably been prevented except for the series of problems and the fact that old age and old injuries limit what we are able to do. I have plans in place so that hopefully next year we have ways to work around the feeding problem. And I'm keeping fingers crossed that the other two mares did not react to the fescue.

Thanks for the information. Sorry about your foal. I lost my first ever foal to this 25 years ago. Very hard lesson. 

I haven't pulled the mare from pasture. She is in the pasture that I know also has some timothy and orchard grass in it. I'm putting out a pile of alfalfa twice a day, that she and my old mare are pigging out on. The mare has come a long way in the 2 months that she has been here. Her backbone doesn't stick out anymore, you have to look just right to see a hint of ribs. She has some nice muscle coming in. I just can't confine her to a stall at this point. If I dry lot her, than I have to dry lot the 2 dozen sheep and old mare too. The pasture is in a flood plain and I don't have a lot of choice with where I can set up fences. 

[Deleted]

Jun 11, 2015 13:31:50 GMT @littlebitfarm said:

I haven't pulled the mare from pasture. She is in the pasture that I know also has some timothy and orchard grass in it. I'm putting out a pile of alfalfa twice a day, that she and my old mare are pigging out on. The mare has come a long way in the 2 months that she has been here. Her backbone doesn't stick out anymore, you have to look just right to see a hint of ribs. She has some nice muscle coming in. I just can't confine her to a stall at this point. If I dry lot her, than I have to dry lot the 2 dozen sheep and old mare too. The pasture is in a flood plain and I don't have a lot of choice with where I can set up fences. 

There are times you just don't have the choices you would like to have. All you can do is the best you can with the circumstances you're dealing with. Hope everything goes well. I still have two more to foal as well ...
.

[Deleted]

The last two mares, on the same pasture as the mare that lost her foal have both foaled successfully with no issues. That does seem to be how fescue related issues work, very hit and miss. At this point, just glad the other two foals are here and by next foaling season, hopefully we won't have the same problems.