Ergot - Need some grain farmer opinions

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Earlier this year (late last year?), I found my calves were having trouble with ergot poisoning. Ears were beginning to deaden and sores on the legs. A vet confirmed the diagnosis. I immediately checked the oats they were getting, and it was fine (elevator cleared it too). I had samples of my hay checked out and it came back today with 0 ergot levels.

So now I'm scratching my head wondering where it came from, and the only thing I can think of is a couple 3 year old barley straw bales I put into the calf pen about a month before I noticed their ear troubles. In theory, straw shouldn't have any ergot troubles, but I was wondering if its possible that some of the ergot may not have gotten threshed out? My father, whose the grain farmer in the clan, feels it that some of the ergot agent may have gotten left behind, but I wanted to ask for some of your opinions?

Rod

 

[CattleAnnie]

Not a grain farmer here, Rod, but everytime we buy straw bales we always seem to end up with some grain in them.

Going on that, it sure does seem possible that you could have ended up with the ergot exposure through the barley bales, although Honey's only ever seen it in Rye crops.

Sure hope your calves are looking better and that your troubles are over.

Take care.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

<chuckle> I give up. I'm getting conflicting information on ergot poisoning now. I had read that ergot poisoning can happen in one shot and that the ears would slough off afetr awhile, but now I'm reading that acute ergot poisoning (ie: one big shot of it) would likely result in nervous system problems. In other words, for ears to slough would require longer term exposure to lower levels. So that axes the barley straw, as I only tossed a few of them out.

So I still don't know for sure where the ergot came from.

I had a hundred or so hay bales left from last year that I fed out early in the season, so I couldn't test them. But my ergot poisoning signs didn't show up until a few weeks after I was done feeding those bales. I now need to find out how quickly ergot poisoning signs show up.

<chuckle> That tears it. I'm either moving some place with year round grazing, or I'm crossing my cows with rabbits and feedin' 'em nuthin' but carrots.

Rod

 

[Bobg]

I don't think that you would have enough ergot in a straw bale to poison you calves. It threshes out and breaks up easier than barley or wheat. The only way to find out is take a sample and ask your county extension agent if he knows of someplace that can test for ergot.

Bobg

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

It threshes out and breaks up easier than barley or wheat.

Thanks Bob, this is what I was looking for.

Now having said that, I did manage to talk to a well respected vet this morning about it. He did confirm that a single large dose would cause the exact same symptoms as a slow exposure would. After a large dose, it would take 6 - 8 days for the first signs to show up, and couple days after that before it was truly noticeable. Which is about the time frame after I accidentally dumped those old barley straw bales out there.

He also said that while the ergotted seeds may have threshed out, they'd leave behind enough residue mold on the seed head to cause poisoning, even acute poisoning. In hay/straw it only takes a few parts per billion to cause gradual poisoning. Acute levels are only a few more parts per billion.

And just for further interests sake, he told me its never been proven that ergot poisoning causes anything more than very low levels of abortions in animals. Some of his texts state it causes abortions, other say there is no evidence to support this. He personally has never seen ergot poisoning cause abortions, but he's also never alot of ergot poisoning up here.

Rod

 

[GMN]

Maybe their symptoms weren't from that at all?
GMN

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Maybe their symptoms weren't from that at all?
GMN

Actually, that was one of the first questions I had asked my vet. The only other thing that causes Ergot poisoning symptoms is frostbite, and these were otherwise healthy 7 weight calves, so no chance there.

Rod

 

[GMN]

So how are they doing now? :?:

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

They're doing fine now, except for the animals that already lost ears. I'd actually caught it back in January, and posted about it. This was just a follow up as some folks wanted more info as I had it.

Rod

 

[GMN]

I never heard of ergot poisoning so googled it, and found out all about it. Glad everything worked out.

Gail[/i]