Tag: mycotoxins

Grasses & The Problems They Present

18 April, 2023

Grasses are a common component of a horse’s diet, but not all grasses are created equal. Some grasses can contain compounds that cause symptoms and health issues in horses. In this article, we’ll explore some of the common grasses that can cause problems for horses. Fluorescing pigments are found in some grasses, such as rye, clover, lucerne, St John’s wort, buttercup, and plantain. These pigments give the grass a dark green color, but they can also cause photophobia and photosensitization in horses. Horses that consume these grasses may develop symptoms such as mud-fever and sunburn. Oxalate is another compound that…

Mycotoxins – What are they?

8 September, 2015

Myco is the Greek term for fungus and toxins mean poison and are produced in various types of fungi. Some of these fungi live inside the plant and are called endophytes. Perennial rye-grass contains endophytes which produce two very harmful myco-toxins, namely lolitrem B and ergovaline. Annual rye-grass where as it doesn’t contain the dangerous endophytes can have a highly poisonous bacteria form on the seed heads. A toxic bacterial gall is formed and some may exude a yellow slime. Both the endophyte and bacterial gall will still be present in hay even if it has been stored for years,…